You should also ask yourself if you just want a few properties to supplement your income, or are you looking to get a massive portfolio to replace whatever employment you have right now.  

My goal is to eventually scale back my legal practice and supplement my income with REI.

I wouldn’t refi until you have to, and I would take to lender about what the max amount you can qualify for using your va supplemental benefit to have more than 1 va loan. 

My post was in response to the fact that, my much smaller circle of trusted tradesmen where I am now investing, needs to be supplemented.  

When I was nearing retirement from my corporate job about 5 years ago I started looking into alternative investments that generate supplemental income. 

PPC is a good supplemental marketing channel to grow your business with very little time involved in management or talking to tire kickers (because they are much higher quality leads, no "F@%!

Continuing our above example, if you demolished the existing building in August and had a new home completed by January 2017, it would have a full assessment reflecting land and the new building.Timing for partially completed construction for assessment day -If, however, the new home was still under construction, the assessor would estimate its percentage of completion and the January 1, 2017, assessment would reflect the land and a partial completed building.Supplemental assessment of partially completed construction - What may also complicate things (you knew this was coming) is when the local assessor makes supplemental assessments.

Unless it is your intention to offer new tenants a rent supplement as well why would you do it for these tenants. 

This could become a "duplex" and you can supplement your income by adding this way.Something else I would look into is some conventional loans will only require you to put 3% down so this might alleviate seller's concerns.

Now I have become pretty handy on all things home reno and supplement my knowledge with YouTube or hire somebody and work along side them or with them.