Note that active income isn't the same thing as non-passive income, it's lower bar that just requires that it's a business activity that isn't just entirely passive. 

For more expensive properties you'll be wanting to pay a lower interest rate and doing short/mid term rentals.

Instead of $500 off the first months rent, have you considered lowering the rent by $40 dollars per month?

If you can come up with an extra 1.5% and finance with a conventional loan you have none of those downsides, a lower monthly payment and PMI only until you hit 20% equity

I do not have to do anything right now, I just need to learn, wait for the right opportunities, or create them - for example by trying to use subject to and take over someone else's payments who locked in a lower interest rate from a few years ago. 

Main goal of All In One heloc or 1st Lien Position Heloc:  Lower your daily average balance.Main Drawback: Rates are substantially higher than 60% of current 1st mortgage balances.If you are mostly living paycheck to paycheck and your money leaves your account as soon as it comes in to pay bills, this is not for you. 

when I used a capital gains calculator online, if I put zero money down and put the 2 loans, the cap gains is a lot lower than if I just recorded 1 loan and entered the money from the downpayment loan under cash.

Disappointed they put the septic tank relatively close to the house, even though the lot is over an acre.Neither Suncoast nor SI disclosed they were building other homes and marketing them for rent at the same time -- at a lower rate.I went under contract to buy a home in Ocala from SI in Summer 2018.

As far as rates I see them declining slower than expected but lowering nonetheless. 

Research landlord-friendly states with lower property prices and strong rental demand, like Texas or the Midwest.