According to Dave Ramsey put it in a mutual fund it should gain 12% but can fluctuate.  

If refi is not a possibility then sell for a profit Map out a plan with the end in sight.

I have experience as a general handyman, but  am a complete newb when it comes to professional construction and would like to gain some experience.

I'm not planning on the condo appreciating THAT much, but my goal is to gain some equity here to eventually put it toward a home I can live in.

REIT's can have wild swings in gains and losses just like the stock markets.I don't see buying dumpy turn key houses to make 1,200 (100 per month gross profit) if everything goes perfectly to make you wealthy.

It is that easy to gain more knowledge and be more skilled when it comes to the real estate industry.

It was also the last year that I could sell and not pay capital gains because I had lived in it as a personal residence for 2 of the last 5 years. 

From what I've heard, you're better off paying out dividends which are subject to capital gains tax as opposed to pulling a salary that is subject to employment and income tax.

This allows us to stay within a reasonable budget while also gaining experience to move on to larger projects while also continuing to pay down debt.

Turnkeys are great if you don't have enough liquid cash to fund the property outright and still allow people to invest in cash flowing rentals and gain 1-4% appreciation annually in most of the midwest markets.