Since you and your wife have renovation skills, targeting properties that need minor improvements can maximize your return on investment while minimizing the time and cost associated with major renovations.

An official unlicensed assistant has access to the MLS.

Success often comes from picking properties with strong chances for rent income or those that can be improved in value.

As others have said there is no way for you to access those funds for personal use without taking a distribution which will be a taxable event...3. 

Moving to a portfolio model—where a pod (1 PM + 2 VAs) manages all aspects of 200+ units—streamlined operations and improved accountability.

How much have you over-improved the property?

All North DFW has the highest appreciation while South DFW will be giving you the better cash flow.If this is your first rodeo, then I would suggest to be close home if you are also planning to self-manage.Then the age of the properties and access to highways.

Unfortunately many of the improvement costs do not deviate greatly when you’re renovating a lower cost property  in a particular market compared to a more expensive property  in the very same market which makes it difficult to absorb the improvement costs in some areas.

Imagine a real crisis where they couldn't get the grid back up, and you couldn't access your accounts, etc.  

The short answer is I look for 9% min and try to press it to 11% with those strategies along with rental increases once improvements are made and the tenants know you actually care about the property.