Once paid off they will be nice income streams.

Lincoln, NE is nice too.

Stephen, Nice looking website. 

As a freelancer, banks aren't exactly excited about my profile... but I've got a nice nest-egg and a will to win, just need a direction to head in.

I believe @Travis Konermann (my sponsor by the way) has said his broker and mentor are nearby and run an office that he visits frequently. 

I see some of the old duplex buildings are nicely renovated. 

Nice.... trying to answer the question yourself!

Finally,  you could go the VBRO or AirBnB route, which as sone merits and seems to dovetail in nicely with what you are doing. 

If you sell just the land on payments rather than for cash, you could potentially get a nice down and a totally retail price, one payment at a time, which also locks up your money, unless you sell the note. 

So don't be shocked if a.) that was their intent when they bought the place to being with or b.) they just don't want to sell so "capital gains" is an easy way to avoid telling a nice guy "go kick rocks".