@Chris Kay beleive you can do DSR loans without a job as they qualify the property, not the borrower.You'd still need 20-25% down though.That's where you have a decision:- Pay down the mortgage, setting yourself up for a future refinance to free up your VA Entitlement.OR- Save up for your next acquisition.Only YOU can make that decision as you have to be comfortable with the increasing debt-load risk and the additional time to manage everything.

New Jersey is a great place to invest especially if you are open minded to the idea of house hacking. 

He's had two successful flips so far and after this third one he's looking to pay off the HELOC and roll the profits into his future flips.

I've largely stayed away from the "sub-to" buz word, but I have done a couple sub-to flips knowing that I only needed to hold onto them a couple months and I was prepared to pay off the notes if they were called.Sub-to for long-term hold on the other hand has me nervous. 

Note with the current rules, I never plan to pay taxes on the appreciation. 

These are questions that have stayed in my mind through every episode I've listened to.

Your 1031 will have to be for the net selling price, not just the amount you clear after paying off any debt. 

That project taught him that buyers in these well-established neighborhoods pay close attention to the details..things like making sure the ceiling lines are clean, storage is intuitive, and every inch feels purposeful rather than tacked on.For your project, thinking about the functionality of the added space is key.

The mortgage is what your tenant is paying for your property. 

If you don't NEED the cash, why pay taxes on it?