Input please on how best to take my next step, unit #6.

[Sara Green]

Thanks for anyone taking the time to read or advise, I love reading all of the thoughtful points of view!

Current situation: I own 5 single family home rentals. Three I purchased this year in cash through my LLC, using proceeds from the sale of a different investment property. The other two I have owned for several years and hold mortgages but cash flow about $300 a month, each.

The market I'm investing in has me averaging about $85,000 per investment, (purchase price plus renovations) and are generally renting for about $1k per month. Total rental income is about $3,600 monthly, and I do not use that money for anything other than paying rental expenses or re-investing. Those homes after buying and renovation, investing about $255K are worth a total of about $300K. 

My goal for 2020 is to purchase 4 more rental homes this year. My focus right now is entirely on increasing cash flow. I left my corporate job in October and am working freelance part time, so I don't have the steady job income that I think of banks typically looking for when lending. I make plenty freelancing to pay my bills, but in the next couple of years I would like to have the luxury of not having to freelance at all (I'll still work, but the freedom that comes with not HAVING to work is what I'm after. Just leaving the corporate job has given me a sense of freedom I've never felt in my life!!) I only need $6k a month in rental income ($2,400 more that I currently make on rents) to make that a reality. My credit is excellent, over 800. 

I have enough cash in the bank without touching reserves to buy one more property in cash, adding about $1K a month to my rental income, which would put me in a position of not having to freelance if I don't want to, but if I did that, I'm not entirely sure how I purchase four total homes this year to keep increasing my cash flow. Just keep freelancing and let rents accumulate to make downpayments on new properties? Don't do that and split it into three down payments and get some different kind of financing? Refinance the three that I bought this year and get money out and purchase more in the traditional BRRRR method?

I'm in analysis paralysis right now, because I don't mind moving forward, but I'm afraid to take a leap with this last chunk of cash that I have and paint myself into a corner; I want to make sure I'm making the move that allows me the most flexibility to keep purchasing and increasing cash flow, and obviously net worth and wealth once I have the cash flow covered. 

If you got through all of that, you are a patient soul, and if you have advice, you are a saint. Thanks in advance!