Looking Ahead - What can I do TODAY to prepare for no W2

[Stefanie K.]

Hi BP - Curious who else has put some thought behind this and any other strategies you are employing now, while you are a W2 employee, to set yourself up when you want to quit "from the man" and continue rolling with RE.  I am the only W2 earner, my spouse has always been self employed.  My main concern is running out of runway to continue getting conventional loans to finance deals.

Here are some things I am doing and would love to know what others are considering:

1. Opening free HELOCs on several properties to give myself the opportunity to "self fund" smaller deals.  Anyone consider opening personal lines of credit "just to have"?  (interest rates aren't great but maybe still worth it to open while w2?)
2. Banking cash flow today to invest tomorrow vs living off of it
3. Found a job at a start up (part-time) in the RE space that I really enjoy that can show some form of W2 income but the absolute $$ of this work are far less than my "real" W2 tech job
4. Considering selling primary residence (currently used as STR) before the "live there for 2 of the last 5 years" capital gains exclusion expires that has increased in value and keeping cash but eventually rolling those gains into a multi family prop when price is right and I find my "forever 2 or 3 flat"