Or take cash and pay the tax on their portion.Only your accountant will know whether this kind of drop and swap is possible without a tax event. 

Average rental rates, vacancies, competition, growth, appreciation, etc..Ive heard of scrolling through Zillow and collecting information by looking at properties for sale/rent but was wondering if there is a site where all of this information is easily accessible or any ideas for better ways to go about it.Thanks in advance!

Specifically, must this be a commercial/business loan type where you have higher rates and shorter loan life or is there an alternative loan type? 

Look, we’d all like to search the internet, find a deal for sale, analyze the property as having a great cash flow at current interest rates, with lots of upside potential in a gentrifying market.  

Looking for a house we could house hack, had an incredibly low interest rate on mortgage and house has increased in value about 42%, an estimated 180k in equity.

My in-laws loaned us the total purchase price minus $5,000 on a 3% interest rate.

We recently relocated to Phoenix last summer and I'm starting to look for recommendations for local credit unions here in Phoenix which are trustworthy, low rates, personal touch, easy/simple to work with, etc. 

Contractors, unless you have a working relationship with them, normally do not want you bouncing ideas off them.Understand what their hourly rate is, have a discussion with them that you are okay with paying them an hourly rate if they walk the property with you and provide you a scope of work along with an explanation of what you can/can't get away with in regards to improvements.ask them if you go with them, if they can credit you the amount that you paid.Once you develop a working relationship with a few contractors, you can bounce ideas off them and expect quality responses.I do not invest in New York.Best of luck. 

If I leave this amount in Sch-E, I get taxed at ordinary income tax rate at Federal and State level, which along with my regular W2 income can be substantial.

entirely stick frame and if stick frame are you using TJI joists, what kind of structural sheathing/fire rating requirements are necessary?