Your income isn't high enough for it to make sense as a rental and the closer you get to your residence limit the greater pressure you will have to sell it before losing your exclusion in whole or part. 500k right now can make $15k per year income with zero maintenance or tenant risks. 

Small shops with apartments above.

Now that is a very high level example but the appreciation is not gone if that makes sense you will capture the ballpark same appreciation if the properties are comparable.  

I talk to so many people who regret not getting a PM up front because they are having problems or high eviction rates doing it alone.

I own 32 properties myself and have bought and sold over 300, including a few apartment complexes.

Hey Khaled, I have a PM who focuses on multi-family and has high praise from my clients.

About to close on a 10+unit apartment building and my wife and I would like to self-manage as much as possible, as I am local. 

Think luxury vacation rentals in high-demand areas like San Diego.4.

I would look FAR AND WIDE for someone to do an investment property HELOC -OR- go to a bunch of banks and CUs (including who you bank with now) to find someone to provide an unsecured (or secured if you have other collateral) LOC to get rid of the high int debt.

To be more specific about what i'm looking to do: My 1-2 year goal is to employ the BRRRR strategy with SFHs and Condos by buying distressed / highly undervalued properties that need work (preferably all-cash) in low crime areas with strong rental demand, renovate them within budget (again preferably all-cash) and get them rent ready before refinancing them at the highest ARV possible.