I am a remodeling carpenter and can’t wait to dive into the world of real estate.

This money is going to go towards my down payment for my first property, I just have to wait for it.I am in contact with a real estate agent and a PM and am basically ready to go.

Is it worth making the dive in, or waiting in the weeds until this market calms down!!

In other words, it's not worth risking losing a great tenant to gain $900 to $1,200 per year in your case.If your strategy is to sell, then set the rent to a price you'd be willing to continue to hold at--but maybe wait until February or March, when the spring market comes on. 

But does this money just sit in a bank account waiting for disaster to strike?

As @Steven Hamilton II points out - if you got insurance money, it was reimbursed - and therefore can't be claimed as a casualty loss deduction.If your casualty happened in a federally declared disaster area you can apply the casualty loss to the previous year's tax return (by filing an amended return) and it might get some money in your hands sooner. https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p547.pdfThe situation is continuing to unfold, so unless you were desperate, I'd wait.

My broker actually gives me probs because I get the most leads out of all new agents in the office , But these Leads arn't making $ as they are low quality.I wake up in the morning and just wait for a random low quality lead to call me.

I have just gotten an appraisal on my primary home and am waiting the results although it should come in around 60000-70000 to use as HELOC.

We would prefer to not wait to sell until August 2019 when the lease expires, but we do not have experience selling an occupied rental home. 

At this point they are playing the waiting game with the company/agency.