Keep existing portfolio or keep growing it?

[Jack B.]

Thing is, continuing to grow the portfolio is risky. Keeping what I have with all that equity in there currently is a lot less risky. What say ye?

Not that long ago my net worth hit 5 million. I don't own a hundreds and hundreds of properties, I just own more than a few but they are in an expensive market and I started buying well over a decade ago.

I could keep growing my portfolio or I can take the safer route and just keep what I have. I'm at the DSCR loan junction as I won't be able to grow without DSCR loans from here on out.

I first turned 1 into 2, that into 4, that into 8, you get the idea. I can keep doing that, I can turn that into 16, and 16 into 32. 

I would get into apartment complexes but only in cash as I don't like the risky loan terms of having to refinance every 5 years. Single family has been my bread and butter, why change a variable.

I've met a lot of people who retired with a handful of paid off or leveraged properties here in their mid thirties. (I'm early 40's). Two women I dated had  done that, and they were more concerned with enjoying life with what they had and not having to work than they were with growing their money. Mind you they drove luxury cars, etc. so it's not like they were wanting for anything...

While my initial goal might have been to retire early with this, I've kept cashing out and growing it, as I've started to enjoy the "game". But, managing what I have alone is fine. Managing 50 properties by myself would be a lot of hassle and I hate PM's. So it's a balance of hassle factor and wealth building. Where to find my balance?