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.

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

That means creating a clear budget, forecasting cash flow, and maintaining a detailed financial model that tracks both the current and future performance of your portfolio.Tax Optimization & Risk ManagementBeyond financial clarity, strategic tax planning and risk management are essential to safeguard and grow your real estate investments.

Quote from @Brandon Croucier: Hi Kathy, at the end of the day the mortgage industry is so vast & wide it's essentially like trying to navigate the Sahara Desert.I highly recommend working with an experienced mortgage broker who knows the ins and outs of the industry to place you into the most competitive product for you.More times than not, people save money working with a small shop broker.Kathy,I wanted to revisit this to offer a a tad bit more and Brandon above is correct.

Wrapping 3 properties into one blanket loan shouldn't be a problem, save these are sitting on any sizeable acreage.You might get lucky and find a unicorn local bank or credit union that would consider that kind of leverage, but I would say overall, those terms are very unrealistic.Cheers!

Be mindful of short-term capital gains tax, as profits from flips held for less than a year are taxed as ordinary income, and frequent flipping may result in self-employment taxes.While profits from flips do not qualify for 1031 exchanges (since flips are considered inventory, not investment properties), you can minimize your tax burden by deducting allowable expenses like renovation costs, loan interest, and holding expenses.If you're considering diversifying into rentals, explore opportunities to benefit from long-term tax advantages such as depreciation and lower long-term capital gains rates.

They remit the taxes.

.💡 Tax AdvantagesThis is where my tax brain gets excited!

If you want to talk condo law in Hawaii, I can tell you the aftermath of the Lahaina fire makes me hesitant to have an HOA ever again, but we will save that for the blog!

Simply put that money in your pocket and save it up for repairs.