I know conventional wisdom says acquire more property, acquire more debt -- but as a "normal" person who uses extra savings left over from my disposable income (read: I'm not wealthy), I'm torn between going full force on reducing debt on the current properties vs. acquiring more debt via other means.  

Since you are in a wealthy and competitive city, that might just be your best bet.

Flips are harder to find nowadays because in the last couple years so many wealthy investors from LA, SD, and SF areas have been scouting Bakersfield daily for flip deals.  

Perhaps invite your friends over and entertain them with stories of how you could've been an independently wealthy real estate investor.

My wife is 100% on board with whatever we need to do to become financially wealthy.

I do have wealthy family members, but not any that are willing to help.

He has bought condos and other properties when no one would and rented the units out -- for the long term and has become a wealthy investor/broker.

Financing your way to wealth is a common thread in guru courses, and in the early bankruptcy of newbies who thought that real estate prices and rents only moved in one direction.Give us some details on your deal, and your creditworthiness and we can answer for you.all cash

With the larger companies, someone miles and miles away makes the decisions and its usually a very wealthy person who has not 'needed' income for decades.  

To coin a phrase by Matt Theriault, get rich by buying Real Estate, but become wealthy buy holding it.