With your goal of $40k/mo you're at upper fed bracket, plus any applicable state taxes. 

Scaling with Business Lines of CreditAs your business credit grows, you’ll qualify for larger funding opportunities such as:Business Lines of Credit (LOCs): Flexible borrowing for down payments, renovations, or operational expenses.Unsecured Business Loans: Access up to $250K or more without tying up personal assets.These financing tools allow you to scale faster while keeping personal credit utilization low.5.

It’s such a big leap of trust, and unfortunately, there are agents who don’t always live up to what you need in this process.An out-of-state investment can be daunting, and it’s so important to have someone in your corner who truly understands your financial goals and is committed to building a relationship beyond just getting to the closing table.

As far as ethically that is part of my nature and I don't care for the aggressive (potentially predatory) strategies discussed by others, but I see value in offering a transparent and convenient service with lower costs and faster turnarounds than traditional MLS transactions. 

If you decide to exit real estate entirely, just make sure whatever investment path you choose aligns with your goals and risk tolerance.

Quote from @Levi Perl: Hi,Curious if anyone has what to say in terms of how to calculate which one is more worth it: to cash out refi on a Long term rental now at 70% LTV, and walk away with X amount of positive cash AFTER paying all debt, (X is a positive number and significant amount for me), which will allow me to potential get another long term rental and grow portfolio faster, or wait 4 months and cash out 80% LTV, giving me DOUBLE than X. 

It is really going to depend on your cash position and long term goals.

A good PM will be realistic on what to expect from Section 8 and help you identify properties/neighborhoods that will support your goal.

Lets start with the goal.

It's a balance of cashflow and wealth accumulation.One of the goals is to have tenants pay as much of your cost-of-ownership as possible (loans, taxes, insurance, etc.)In high-cost areas, any Class A or B property you buy will usually negative cashflow for the first 3-5 years, until rents rise enough to cover the negative cashflow + rising taxes & insurance.Investing OOS increases your risks because you may not know the market and you can't check on everything/everyone all the time.If you move forward with your buddies, HIGHLY recommend creating a solid Partnership Agreement!