Patient or Lazy: What was your path to four doors and beyond?

[John Suralik]

I'm a part time investor and bought house number three in June and I've been working towards creating a solid financial picture for banks to get traditional financing for a fourth buy and hold deal: paying down debt, saving six months reserves, filing taxes to show rental income to lower DTI, and rehabbing (Higher HELOC appraisal) It's been pretty quiet on my real estate front and I've been wondering if I should be more active trying to acquire house four through creative financing, or mailing yellow letters? Am being patient or lazy? What was your experience?