@Kyle Cross you claim to know a lot about the industry, but your questions are vague and so is the info you've provided.Not sure how managing 8 units doesn't, "require much management"?

I work with a property management company in NJ and we see a lot of success with our clients holding long-term rentals. https://www.tvdhousing.com/Welcome to BP! 

In my opinion, more important metrics are total profit and time spent managing the operation.All marketing works.

I'm tempted to do what many have said which is to just use a debit card, but I get 2% back on a CC, which is not insignificant when managing dozens of vendors, and I really hate to change a process that's working because the software I chose is lacking a basic feature.  

If you have one high earner as a W-2 I would recommend the other switch to managing the Real Estate side of your wealth ASAP. 

Many of the problems I hear on this forum and in personal messages to me from other investors can be solved through more frequent and detailed communication.I have multiple emails to the construction project manager asking for an estimated completion date that have gone unresponded.

I'm managing D class properties with a property manager and am making a profit. 

There are a lot of deals he could do, but he wants to hit 80% occupancy from a Risk management standpoint before he takes on his next deal, plus get closer to retirement.

Are you self managing those properties?

However, I don’t yet have the funds for a down payment on another house, and I’m trying to figure out the best option for where to live while I rent the apartment.Do you have any recommendations for managing this transition or tips on finding a temporary place to stay?