I purchased a 4 unit in Dec 2021 in Pt Loma (Worth ~$2.5M then, now worth ~$3.4m). 

Then you can read a more in-depth book like The Book On Rental Property Investing by Brandon Turner or The Unofficial Guide to Real Estate Investing by Spencer Strauss.2.

If it is an older home with stone foundation and brick/block walls likely you will need to underpin the foundation while lifting the home and then star bolting any active bulging. 

Then you should go back later in the evening like around 10 p.m.

Once all the work was done we rented the home for a couple years and then sold.

If you do have enough other income then you dont even need to lease out this property to start your refinance.However if you dont have enough income to qualify with no rental income offset then yes you will need to obtain your lease(s) and security deposit + 1st months rents deposited before you can utilize 75% of this gross income - your monthly PITIA payment (in terms of qualification on this property refinance.So all in all Id make sure what your current debt to income position is first of all (DTI) and then strategize to see if you even need the leases at all.

@David OvercashRecommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Why is Property Class so important for investors to understand and apply in their investing strategies?

If your goal is financial independence, then selecting an investment city is a straightforward process due to the income requirements for financial independence.

They will likely require you obtain your real estate license, but since you are open to pursuing further education then it might work well.

Once Apartments.com is going the money comes without much thought. i check on the first to see that the transaction has initiated then again on the eighth to see that the money deposited.