Leaning towards a home equity loan or refi as choices since I've been turn down for Helocs due to DTI ratio which i find strange.

While Ohio and Texas are good options, Tampa's balance of affordability, growth potential, and rental demand make it a fantastic choice.

You're in the right place to begin with, but the choice is yours.

I think it would be beneficial to research the local market and buyer demographics.

There are so many choices out there that you need to make, and you have to look at what you really trying to do with it, which is asset protection for your personal assets most likely.

I bought a property in Houston TX and the inspection report didn't showed up anything.But when we started to fix, the Mold issue came and we had no other choice but to fix it. 

You can earn honorable discounts and fees overtime by establishing mutually beneficial partnerships with one lender or broker but squeezing them dry for a lot of hard work and not equal pay isn't something I recommend making a strategy

Learn from a mentor and see if you can provide sweat equity in the area of your choice at first to learn in the field training.

Hi David, Seller financing may be beneficial only if it requires less then a 15-20% down payment and the seller financing interest rate is less than what we may offer.With most seller financing I have seen allows a borrower to refinance anytime, so make sure there is no prepayment penalty within the contract.Yes, you can always refinance out of seller financing, but the property should not be upside down in value compared to the existing mortgage balance.If you'd like to talk and pick my brain, feel free to get in touch with me.Thank YouCraig

Most people will tell you that your second choice can't be done, but the IRS has issued two (2) Private Letter Rulings on point where they did allow the taxpayer to build on property they already owned through a 1031 Exchange.