4 houses: value $6.5MEquity: $2.8Mpositive cash flow after debt, maintenance, taxes: $2000/modo I have additional capital to add?

Quote from @Kevin Sobilo:Monthly Rent + Monthly Debt Payments <= Gross MONTHLY Rent * 45% Obviously I made a typo.

Flatline population growth is a sign of a poorly managed state and large or soon to be large, government debts (e.g., Illinois).

I think it would be financial suicide to give up a 500k a year job that you know how to do and is secure to launch into thinking your going to replace it with rental income.. unless your sitting on 5 mil plus in  cash with no debt.

Debt pay down and appreciation is gravy.Is this serious or sarcasm?

If it does go to probate, hopefully your brothers and you can amicably go the informal route vs formal (I've worked with families in both when buying properties out of probate and informal is FAR easier).Since there's no debt on the house, maybe you could sell with financing or maybe you could even buy out your brothers with financing -- that way you maintain ownership and just pay them a monthly amount.

A private investor will want to see a few successful deals before taking out large sums as a debt loan.

You can have multiple conventional mortgages and have a great credit score as long as you don't pay late or get too close to the maximum debt to income ratio.

You will quickly find out about debt to income requirements on purchases.. where you will be "Ok , I want to buy another / bigger one" and your lender will be like - "You have too much debt - we aren't going to loan you anything else right now."  

I am currently enjoying my 1k monthly income with no debt, and I am nervous about leveraging.