Any constructive advice would be much appreciated. 

@Robert EllisAre you leveraging construction-to-permanent loans or private funding?

I have worked with a builder in the past who offered new construction quads for investment in this area.  

It's the first-time experience with the contractor that worries me.

On top of that, hiring tribal members for construction or operations could qualify for employment-related tax credits.

This information is then linked in the database—think of techniques like pulling signatures from mortgage documents and extracting unit counts/construction types from building permits.This allows you to search my name and instantly see all of the rental properties and construction projects I own, even though they are well covered by holding companies.

@Keith AngellFrom my experience, both a HELOC and refinancing have their advantages depending on your goals.

Hello Mike, It is nearly impossible to answer this question without taking a deep dive on the numbers of each but often times in expensive markets like Seattle the cost of construction is so high that it doesn't make sense to tear it down unless you can build something way bigger/nicer.

You don't need to know everything to get started; you need a foundation to build on, and the rest will come through experience and then refining your education.You can build a basic understanding of investing in 3-6 months.

(that is, assuming you've hired an agent with experience, market knowledge, and the wisdom to be able to guide you to what you're looking for).