My estimation was with leverage I could do about 7 homes a year and each year after it would increase. 

Working on my financial fundamentals, namely saving enough free capital to invest.

An experienced property manager should minimize vacancy, increase income, and have connections with contractors and other professionals to manage your property well to maximize your return on investment.To Your Success!

I'm wondering what tools and resources you all use as rental owners and investors to get or keep your financial ducks in a row?

This increases the likelihood that they will reduce or reject the claim.

Greatest financial pitfall when owning a rental property is vacancy time.

The problem is, that's not proper accounting because a credit card is a liability, and doing this workaround will reduce your assets rather than increase your liabilities, which totally messes up your balance sheet and debt-to-income ratios.  

I think new builds in such areas is a great idea, but financially it's very hard to make the numbers work since you will probably have a very hard time finding comps.

Prioritize your financial stability.

But if you can finance a home in an appreciating area make it breakeven and at some point (as always) either rents/nightly rates will increase, interest rates will go down, or both.