First, banks do not prefer W2 income over 1099 income at all.

Best of luck on your continued journey, HELOCS can be a great tool to utilize untapped equity in a house.

Over that time we have acquired 4 properties, 6 doors. 

Over time, as rents rise the property could become even more profitable.

I have been investing in the stock market for 5 years and I am now transitioning over to real estate after doing my research on real estate for the past two years. 

I normally advise that people start a business as a sole propeitor in their first year.If it is successful and something you want to continue, then have a conversation regarding entities.

Switch over to a standard financial lending institution.  

You can be sure they will continue to negotiate for, strategize and advise themselves.If the laws are similar where you are, you should consider if you want someone doing those things for you, and whether you are comfortable going toe-to-toe alone with a licensed professional on a $1.25 million purchase.

If so, they can sell within 2 years and not pay capital gains taxes on the sell of the home.They could take that money and buy multiple rental homes in other areas if they wanted, or use the money to downsize in to a different home while still having money left over.

., asking questions, reading through the documents, etc.) and continue educating yourself via books and podcasts so that you can leverage that expertise to do your own deals in the future.