Do you save three months of vacancy for each unit and $50,000 for the roof replacement?

No matter the number of units, there is one roof, one property tax bill, one sewer line, one gardener bill, etc. 3.

It wasn’t pretty, but that’s how I scaled up buying and holding 29 SFR without using my savings to acquire these houses.

I guess it can save you some time managing, for example one tax bill, one insurance bill. 

You have the ability to sell while limiting your capital gains tax because you lived in 2 of the last 5 years. 

I would reinvest in a another property and use a 1031 exchange to detour taxes.   

I was drawn to real estate as a way of investing money I have saved up (around $130K with additional funds to leverage out of a 401K if needed), and potentially creating reliable cash flow over the next 10 years. 

Two, you'll have a much easier time obtaining a mortgage product if you have a track record of W2 income.In the meantime, continue implementing the strategies you mentioned: save religiously, build your credit, pay any existing debt owed, etc.

If all goes well, my monthly payments could drop about $60 from a tax reassessment in about six months.

Avoiding errors and being educated on the laws can save time, money, and potential legal challenges.