@Jon D. some questions, the answers may help you better focus.1) Why did you pay your primary mortgage off in the first place?

Preforeclosure owner finance wrap, paid off the default payments and taxes with cash and assumed the owners loan.

.- 1031 exchange opportunity: I could potentially do a 1031 exchange to acquire a duplex or triplex, deferring taxes.- Access to funds: I could consider a cash-out refinance or a HELOC to access funds for additional investments.- which property would you recommended me to keep? 

Or sell using the 1031 exchange along with a partial 121 primary residence exemption There is a way you could take advantage of the 121 primary residence exclusion allowing you to take the first $250k of the gain tax free ($500k if married) and qualify for a 1031 exchange.Say you purchase a property as your primary residence (house hack extra rooms for extra income) and lived there for two years while stationed there.

If you can’t do a 1031 to a non-income tax state, figure out a year when you will have lower income and tax rates ar as low as possible.

If you're buying a true investment property (meaning you wont live in it), FHA is completely off the table and Conventional/DCSR will require 15%+ down.

Every little thing in the project should be in writing, even down to the door stops :-) See my tile spec sheet below ...Two problems with your post though - 1) In my experience, most problems come from the customer changing their minds constantly.

I recommend that you look at Notice of Defaults, Vacants, Tax Liens or Probate. 

During a roofing job, the contractor’s brother-in-law fell off the roof and tragically died.  

They will handle the collection and distribution of payments, amortization, escrow accounts, and any tax documentation.