I had been stashing away cash from the numerous overseas deployments I was doing for several years, so I paid cash for the property and repairs before renting it.

I put them on all my rentals and am collecting a stash of keys to rotate through. 

Save the big money you will make and bank it up so you have a giant stash in 2-3-4 years to start making some great cash offers.If you are more of a paperwork and office guy....you should still go and work construction, but if you 100% refuse, go work for a title company or a lender or a hard money lender. 

I understand that you’ll need to stash away money for capex and maintenance cost, but putting away 10% from a $3,000 rental versus 10% for an $800 rental in the Midwest does not seem comparable. 

Even with tenant present they can say their gold stash is missing but far less likely. 

And from there, you strategize or negotiate on what's favorable in terms, down payment etc. 2) 3-4% interest through seller finance is often times more safe/profitable for the seller as opposed to them taking their already 30%+ taxed lump sum of cash from selling their property and stashing it elsewhere to grow only on a fraction of the original amount. 

At the very least, the cash coming in will get me started to stash money away for the next property.1.

Where would you stash this downpayment $30k so it hopefully gains a bit, but also wasn't too locked in or at risk?

We have been able to stash away about $25K since March from our W2 jobs.

Every month I stash a little more away to protect my self, the asset, and the tenants living there should something break.