But, this will be front-end weighted and gradually slow towards the back half of the year.

With a purchase price of $250k, your rent is WAY too low!

We bought the stair tops from Lowes and had them delivered to our house.

Getting a mother-in-low to co-sign is not the answer.

No reserves, Income may be good, credit on the low side and NO Equity in the home.  

There is no stock account that gives the leverage real estate does, at as low interest rate real estate does, at as low risk/ volatility real estate does. 

Low taxes, low crime, low homelessness, friendly people, all 4 seasons, etc!

I think this is a calculation a lot of homeowners are making right now--especially if they have a low interest mortgage, equity, and their house will cashflow as a rental.The choice is a personal one of course, but I think your future self will thank you if you pull out some equity from your existing home with a HELOC for the downpayment on the next house and a cushion renting your current home, use a property manager as you have other things to do, and buy the next house and do the same thing again.

You can also gain valuable experience virtually and offer low or no cost "co-hosting" services.

You can still achieve it, but finding deals that actually pencil out on all criteria (low enough purchase price, low enough renovation cost, cash flows on the backend, all cash out at refinance) is pretty hard.