Get to real estate meetups and network with people out there doing deals.

I've been investing in real estate for 10 years and have purchased and rented 50 sfh's and duplexes.

All,I am new to bigger pockets as well as to real estate investing.

I’m a newly licensed real estate agent, but I haven’t chosen a brokerage to hang my license with yet.

I would try not to tie up any of the principal in down payments.Personally, I had a family member do this same thing, but they used an investment portfolio as the collateral instead of real estate.If you play your cards right, this might be the only short-term money you ever need.Please let us know what you end up doing.

But ya have to make some educated prognostications in life.Add this to the information your processing - What your talking about doing is eliminating around $4000 or interest expense (which is deductible anyway so really could be a real impact of eliminating $2800 or so) of debt in exchange for paying over $10K in capital gains tax (don't forget possible state gains tax as well).  

While I’m new to the business, I’m eager to learn, grow, and connect with local investors, landlords, and fellow real estate professionals.

@Ned Carey,A solo 401k is not subject to UBIT on leveraged real estate only.

I spoke to them about 1.5 months ago and since then they have been non-responsive that makes them look like not the real deal and I'm wondering if they are still around and active and good?

Read a few books on real estate investing to learn the power of leverage.