Whether it is a good rental or not as a .5% producer is a separate argument. 

Every it of your story rocks.

From what I have heard, Ohio law frowns upon wholesaling unless you're doing it through a brokerage as a licensed agent.I would concentrate on rocking out the exam - you may find you like another area of real estate!

My question to you is: How do i best leverage this cash to produce future returns assuming I am willing to make a career out of it.

Looking at either Eagle Rock or Glendale.

If you are requiring equity to be income producing then how do you distinguish equity that is your money into the property vs  equity that is a gain through appreciation? 

The questions you have to answer is, "Why is the property the way it is and what needs to be done to it to get it to produce income based on these market numbers"? 

Let's rock out this month everyone!

I understand I want clean dirt so to speak with minimal rock etc.

Then hang sheet rock, tape and texture like normal.