Regardless of the states find a home now and buy it if you want to avoid higher sale prices and that comes with higher taxes!

At this time the primary goal is passive income and then scale within 5 years as I gain more experience and network. 

More info on DSCR loans generally to better understand how the programs work and what goes into the underwriting: DSCR loans won't use your income to underwrite the loan.

On top of that you have lower taxes, insurance and a lack of HOA's.

This would allow you to indefinitely defer all of the tax if you sold, and use the tax you would have had to pay, to purchase something nicer in an area with a greater growth potential.   

Over two years, I built up 12 doors, which now generate about $100k in net income annually.

The sum total of taxes of each of the 4 units will usually be higher than if it were apartments.

Or sell using the 1031 exchange along with a partial 121 primary residence exemption There is a way you could take advantage of the 121 primary residence exclusion allowing you to take the first $250k of the gain tax free ($500k if married) and qualify for a 1031 exchange.Say you purchase a property as your primary residence (house hack extra rooms for extra income) and lived there for two years while stationed there.

Do you work with any specialty tax firms to help us small business owners get access to R&D tax credits, cost segregation and other specialty tax credits?

Can you count that $4,600 as “rental income” or does it have to go under some kind of self employment?