The impact on w-2 happens if you're contributing to an employee sponsored 401k plan with that employer.  

Most people that are successfully flipping have a flipping business with either employees on staff or enough work lined up to keep a GC happy for 6 months to a year.Its a tough business to make money in when you are doing one project at a time from a distance. 

A friend of mine owns a brewery in Cisco and they have issues with finding employees and there just isn't much out there outside of ranch land.

Seems really abrupt; at least when Brandon left, he explained it a couple months early. very different as brandon was like employee #2.

We have been your average corp job employees for the past 15+ years (maxing out 401K, emergency fund savings, etc.). 

So they may not trim payroll, but likely won't be bid for new employees as one's leave.

I'm in escrow on a duplex, my credit score is high 750+, I'm a W2 employee, and I plan on keeping this duplex for more than 10 years.

I would tell you to get really, really smart on self-storage, mobile home parks, or something that can be run by a low-skilled employee and pretty hands-off. 

I have one Full Time Employee (and well paid) for every 10 properties we manage. 

I have business overhead, operating expenses, employee expenses etc.