The program looks at location, property value, amount owing, interest rate, taxes, insurance, rents, condition, etc and several exit strategies.When we make an offer to buy, we can offer cash, subject to, wrap, seller financing, lease option, seller carryback and so on.Obviously if we wholesale the property, there is no carrying management needed, and if use a lease option to sell, the optionee is responsible for maintenance and repairs.

Practically what you will earn from participating in tax sale auctions is an interest rate of return.

I'd rather not do an entire cash-out refi because I have a much better rate on the property than I could get today.With a 70% LTV planning factor, I'd still have plenty of room for the cash I'm looking for to make the down payment (~125k).Thanks for any help/advice!

Rates are very comparable to conventional. 

But depending on when you bought your house and your mortgage rate, it might be possible to convert it into an STR with enough cash flow to more than cover the cost of renting another dwelling as your new primary residence. 

Before that, I engaged in the Vero Beach, FL condo market, but opted to sell my properties there due to weather and rising HOA fees.

They are property owners in your neighborhood, not an external company with no stake in the community other than management fees. 

Some restaurants will let you bring a bottle of wine , but charge you a corkage fee. 

Remember in North Carolina there is a (considerable) diligence fees with any offer you make.

You can imagine this can swing interest rates on refinances significantly dependent on the extent of that score discrepancy.