We have not pulled the trigger yet with them, but I did find a close circle friend that has used them in the last few months and it went very very well.

Overall, I’m loving the learning process and am getting close to a pull the trigger point.

The state is very landlord friendly and Tulsa and Oklahoma City are towns where you can combine considerable cash flow and appreciation.

After careful consideration, I decided to take the plunge and purchase it.

I have been told by one very reputable RIA and a separate 1031 company that after I have been in the REIT for at least 1 year that I can pull up to my original basis out of the REIT without triggering any capital gains tax. 

Also, do you give any different considerations for cats versus dogs?

These include (but are not limited to);a. a drop dead date for her to refinance and take you off the mortgage (5 years, whatever);b. trigger events for her to refinance regardless of date (birth of child, remarriage, failure to maintain the house physically, cease using house as primary residence, failure to pay insurance or property taxes, no "subject to" sales and etc., etc).and no doubt a host of other things.Then there's your remedy if she fails to keep her end of the bargain, including who gets appreciation, right to possess or maintain, etc.Your credit score is far down the list of concerns

This approach supports the "slow and steady" philosophy you mentioned, while still allowing for considerable progress and learning.

Just weigh your options with an experienced agent, and choose what's best for you.The only thing I might suggest before you pull the trigger on complete removal of windstorm coverage altogether, is to see if you can get quotes with 3% and 5% deductible options. 

If you underwrote the deal according to your methodology and it netted 5-10%, you'd pull the trigger if the level of risk you're taking to achieve that result is within what you're comfortable with.