@David Woodside The 500-hour rule allows you to treat rental losses as active, enabling you to offset other income and reduce your tax bill significantly.

The cheat sheet/example greatly reduced time.

After closing, work on increasing your income, reducing debt, and preparing for a second mortgage.

The down fall is a Heloc can "Never" be used as an asset or for PITI reserves required when buying a new Primary or investment property.A heloc can also cause major issues with credit and one slight hiccup or missed payment the bank or lender who is holding the Heloc can close or reduce your line of credit.

It’s gotten me seriously considering bringing an attorney in-house to handle evictions and other legal needs moving forward.I’m evaluating this from two angles:Cost Efficiency: With the expense as high as it is, having in-house counsel could potentially reduce costs over time.

MTR attracts a lot of traveling medical professionals and WFH individuals who need a quiet space during the day, which may not be compatible with families living in the attached LTR.

Also with plans to reduce industrial "intensity" in and around residential areas. 

Here’s a streamlined perspective:Your current approach, putting more down upfront, minimizes risk, increases cash flow faster, and allows you to build equity while reducing overall interest.

If your portfolio is large enough, 5% is better.Now, some people believe that this diversification reduces the chances for a large gain.  

In construction, there is only so much you can do to reduce your margins while staying profitable.