Alternatively, do you have equity in the Joshua Tree House?

The image attached is an example calculation I did and I had to push the appreciation to 25% to be able to pull a good amount for the next down payment.With these calculations, it made me realize that I might have to find alternative ways to go from house hack one to house hack two.

Never took an hour to remove it or an hour to install it. 1. shut off water supply line(turn handle) 15 seconds2. flush toilet 10 seconds3. vacuum and drain water 2 minutes maybe 4 lay out cardboard(from toilet box) put out trash bag5 remove 5/16 nuts one on each side with hollow shaft nut driver 2 minutes6 pick up toilet and place into bag 2 minutes7 clean up old wax ring from flange and inspect flange 2 minutes8 place wax ring 1 minute9 install new flange bolts 1 minute 10pick up toilet and place on new ring if you didn’t ring right maybe 5 minutes 10 tighten down new bolts 2 minutes 11 cut bolts and install caps 2 minutes 12 reinstall water line 1 minute and turn on 13 flush to check for leaks 14 caulk back of toilet seal if you choose 1 minute15 carry away toilet to truck 10 minutes tops. this a 30 minute job.

Over filled a 2 yard dumpster, gave away 2 tables, and about 1/2 a truck load went to the local historic group.

Alternatively, we can pay all cash too.

Contact a realtor or mortgage broker to find properties, negotiate conditions, and investigate financing alternatives.

The other common alternative is to wrap the treads of the staircase in carpet.

Alternatively, once the existing tenant is out, you can lease at market rate.The real challenge of "non-landlord friendly" areas in the form of: your ability to adjust their rent from one lease term to the next, rent control issues that would limit your ability to ever push rent increases over time, any mandates on required renewal options for existing tenants (typically come with rent control measures) and the ease and speed with which evictions are processed. 

@Lily WangHouston's varied economy and rising population make mid-term rentals (MTRs) an attractive alternative for a variety of tenant groups.

TICs have fallen out of favor but as long as they are structured property and are run by a good operator (see point earlier) they can be a good alternative.