You have to allow time to do its job. 

Oregon coast crashed hard in the GFC   the Covid has it coming back FINALLY  but bottom line is very little industry and jobs.. since logging and fishing has curtailed .. so its retirement and tourism. 

I'm really busy with my w2 job working all the time to fund my investments. 

A great way to get started if you currently have a W2 job is to buy a house hack like a duplex or a fourplex where you can move into one of the units and continue to rent/manage the other units.

PMs and realtors want to use people they know that have been in the business and do a good job for them.

The big pros are the strong job market (lots of major employers), good population growth, and still-reasonable entry prices.

If it's on your credit, you are on the hook for it.However, it shouldn't effect the loan process too much, a simple Letter Of Explanation should be able to get the job done with the correct investor. 

The BEST contractors are in high demand, so are picky about doing bids and taking on jobs.

I also treated studying like a full-time job.

Since you have work history, if you get a job with salary income and a credit score above 640 (680 realistically), a conventional cashout refi is within reach as soon as you reach those metrics.