I am committed to gaining knowledge and understanding the ins and outs of the industry.

Is it better to sell, pay off mortgage and capital gains and take the cash to invest in another property or is it better to refi/ETO and take the cash to invest in another property?

if you have lived in the property for 2 out of the least 5 years you will not pay taxes on the gain, so if you want to sell make sure you do it soon enough to take advantage of that tax advantage.  

It is very important to have a solid team and strategy in place, because you’re taking on a lot more risk than a typical rent ready purchase.

I would recommend the East Idaho REIA which is typically the 3rd Wednesday at 5:30pm in IF and the Poky REIA which is typically the 1st Tuesday at 6:30pm.

Investing close to home allows you to gain hands-on experience, learn the ropes, and be more involved in the day-to-day.

Why ask: Learning how your mentor handled failures or setbacks will help you gain perspective on the full spectrum of risks and challenges in the field.

My plan is to purchase a home that I will hold onto while hoping to gain both forced and time appreciation.

Instead of spending years learning by trial and error, working with a coach or mentor can allow you to accelerate your learning curve, gain confidence, and achieve your goals faster.

Reason being HML's are typically short term loans that are interest only.