The Austin market is still going strong and we live in a very desirable area.We *could* roll up some debt and take our mortgage to 284k.This would increase our mortgage payment by 566/month, but by reducing the monthly minimum payments with the debt disappearing we would gain an additional 1000-1100/month (after the 566 is deducted).I'm also aware that mortgage interest is something we can deduct from our annual taxes vs. other debt which we can't...This is not our forever home, but we've had so much equity in our home for so long that I can tell I'm fearful to cut into our equity, but I don't want baseless emotion to make this decision and keep us tied to something that we're not looking to stay in forever.

I'm currently Reading "How to invest in Real Estate the Ultimate Beginner's Guide to getting Started" by Brandon Turner and when i"m finished i'll be purchasing "Long-Distance Real Estate Investing: How to buy, Rehab and Manage Out-of-State Rental Properties" by David Greene.I have never done any investments in my life but one can only assume doing this as a Foreign Investor is a little more difficult than being a local one but i'm sure this can be done with a strong team and the more knowledge and strategies come my way the better.I plan to buy and hold (Multi Family preferred) first in Philadelphia, PA because i have family there so figured it may be a little easier to start before i eventually branch out in the future to other states.From the podcasts, webinars and from what I've seen reading some forum posts i can tell this is an awesome community so any knowledge, strategies and words of wisdom is highly appreciated.Looking forward to your reply.Thank you.

Starting out I strongly recommend buying a performing note so you understand the process and players.

I suggest properties occupied by investment grade public companies or strong franchisees/operators of national brands with 10+ years remaining on the lease contract. 

3) Do you have a strong team in place on the ground to execute the renovations?

They are generally looking for quality properties in major growth markets and strong sponsors. 

The rental market is very strong for single families, especially with an abundance in healthcare occupations and a large university. 

Low price, distressed asset in a strong market.

@David Corboy I strongly recommend talking to the top producers in what ever area you area you are looking to invest in.

In Phoenix we are seeing around 7% rent increases YoY which is extremely strong nationwide, but the entry prices to purchase is pushing north and the line up to buy is like 5 deep.Take a look at @David Thompson recent article.