If I'm borrowing my own equity, how can I repay it when I've just shifted that money to buy a cluster of low-cost investment homes? 

Over the next 2 to 5, we can most likely expect another big shift in the supply and demand factors in the downtown market.

Would the 75% LTV simply just shift by $5k and be based on $125k now instead?

With market prices being so high, I've shifted my focus from rental properties to flips for the time being.

Yes, money can be made in any market but it's typically made by those that have been studying it and are prepared to shift their technique to match the changes. 

Shift your mentality and look for a way to earn the money.

We're starting to get more serious about purchasing one, as I'm starting to see a bit of a shift in the town and prices beginning to go up. 

Rising inventory was the first indicator to really begin shifting in the years leading up to the recession.

Jill,Luckily the house is pier and beam so plumping shouldn't be that bad since there's crawl space, as for the bathroom If I'm going with this layout it's going to be expensive to relocate bathroom and the kitchen together especially with the middle wall being load baring I believe,  but if you noticed there should be some extra space from the kitchen I think there should be 5 feet between the Island and the living room so the couch can be shifted a a foot or two to the back making the living room a bit bigger. 

When the winds would shift, the smells got pretty bad.