Increasing properties per year

[Will Gates]

Good day, BP!

I've currently got 2 properties... and another under contract scheduled to close at the end of January. That'll be 3 properties since middle of October 2018. One of the properties will be a BRRR (rehab almost done, refi to follow soon) and the other two are traditional mortgages - 20% down, 80% loan.

What ways are people able to most effectively scale? BRRR probably, right? I like the idea of BRRR and I'm excited for the rehab and refi to be done so I can see the fruits of my monies working for me and coming back with some more money friends.

I've got my eyes on several other opportunities that I want to move on, but I know that since my W2 income is limited (state government employee with very few opportunities to get increased pay), my DTI is creeping up to the 28% mark (with the lender NOT counting rental income) and I've read that 43% is roughly the cut off... I'd like to get to 6 or 7 properties by the end of 2019... I may need to get creative soon after #4 or #5.

Are there recommendations for convincing lenders to use rental income as income so that I could keep growing the portfolio? How many months of rental income per property do you need to be able to consider that as income towards either mortgage or BRRR cash-out refi loans?

Thanks!