The traveling got cut short due to family reasons, but I never went back to a W2, I cut living expenses to next to nothing, the house hack helped that, and then I took it one property at a time to gradually expand my income and have kept my expenses about the same.

That at least buys you time with the gradual increase to react and plan.  

All bills paid except electric; water and gas is master metered and financially no gain to individually meter but full intention to bill back through RUBS.One expense is cable is provided, would be cancelled in month 2 allowing for an additional $1,20090% occupancy (current not avg)Heres all the numbers:Asking- 1,200,000 CAP- 11% per sellerGross rents @ 100%= $17,375/ moCurrent avg rents- 14,707/moCurrent expense- Utilities=3,500/ moRepairs/Maintenance= 1,500/moPM= $0 (self managed) Would be same for me initiallyTaxes= 13,000/yrInsurance= he pays 14k/yr, my quotes have came back at only 6k/yrHeres what I know I can change within the next 3 years:Eliminate cable- $14,400/year savingsInsurance rate- $8000/yr savingsR/M- increase expense by $18,000/yr for first 3 years while I rehab units during turnoverGross rents- Bring to market over 3 years for total gross rents of $294,000/yr at 100%gradual bill back of utilities over 3 years or unit turnover- would be included in the market rent because all apartments in this area pay for utilities but have higher rents.

I'm looking to gradually transitioning to real estate investing.

If I stop cashing out, gradually I will have cash flow because I bought in low property tax states.

We have three decades of our own operating data in several different markets to build projected NOI for this property,But we have not done a distressed physical rehab before.I have been given a price for the complex, and a price for the rehab, and a financing package from the bank which has taken the complex from its owner that includes funding for the rehab costs, and good LTV.The complex is operational but is over 40% vacant, and is the classic story of an owner who gradually drained their property, eventually lacking the money to do unit turns.What I would like to do is bring in an independent team to walk the property unit by unit and build out a detailed rehab budget - a team without the conflict of interest of being hired by the bank who owns the property, or being brought in by my existing management firm.Should I hire tradesmen with specific skills (electrical, drywall, plumbing, roofing, etc.) and pay them each a fee to walk the property?

As a former military member, you can use VA loans  gradually build your buy & hold portfolio!  

Sometimes it can be a gradual increase and other times it can be very sudden.

And the rest cash out and go into stocks (gradually, dollar cost average to minimize risk), safe savings/treasuries, and some maybe in private RE syndications.

The upside is that it would gain about $6500 in principal in the first year and more gradually as the years go on.