By utilizing one provider for both services, both can be aligned, customized to your portfolio’s needs which should achieve a better outcome overall.Real estate investing can be very complex and navigating taxes, compliance and insurance can be overwhelming and complex, deterring some people from expanding their portfolio or from investing at all.

Hi Brett, I would opt to utilize a HELOC. 

Depending on how long you have been in the first property (based on your interest rate, I am assuming 3-4 years), have you explored the option to utilize your FHA again?

Their customer service is great.

Landlords can enter a tenant's property for a variety of reasons, including: Making repairs or replacements Responding to a tenant's request Removing unauthorized window coverings Preventing waste of utilities Changing filters, testing, or replacing smoke detector batteries Inspections Helping with an emergency inside the unit Posting a notice of eviction"Research your state laws because some of your comments indicate a lack of understanding of the landlord/tenant laws where you are operating (like threatening the tenants to keep the security deposit if they don't respond to you, I doubt that is actually a valid reason to keep their deposit, or evicting for late payments, or charging the tenants for your warranty repairs because you missed your 11 month inspection window which was your responsibility, and it looks like your lease says you can charge up to 18% interest for unpaid fees, is that actually legal?).

Hey all - I'm new to the RE investing game and have some (probably dumb) questions regarding cash on cash returns. As some background, I'm looking for turnkey or close to it and would be using a management company sin...

If you do have enough other income then you dont even need to lease out this property to start your refinance.However if you dont have enough income to qualify with no rental income offset then yes you will need to obtain your lease(s) and security deposit + 1st months rents deposited before you can utilize 75% of this gross income - your monthly PITIA payment (in terms of qualification on this property refinance.So all in all Id make sure what your current debt to income position is first of all (DTI) and then strategize to see if you even need the leases at all.

The fact that you have built custom homes together with your general construction experience should be enough.

So it's pretty hard to break 5% utilization. 

Im at a 780 credit score , under 10% utilization, 13-14 positive mix tradelines 0- late payments but I cant get into the 800's and its because my old morgage is no longer showing .