We plan to remove them all to protect from tax increases on our current primary, but I am afraid that now that the other properties won't have homesteads, we may see skyrocketing tax bills and it will eat into already small cash flow from rental income.Does anyone have advice for how to handle this situation other than just increasing rent?

They may have been introduced to wholesaling as a low-barrier entry into real estate and never considered licensing as a viable option.Why Getting Licensed Could Be Beneficial:Access to MLS: Licensed agents can access MLS listings, making it easier to find deals and run comps.Credibility: Being licensed can increase trust and credibility with sellers and buyers.Expanded Opportunities: As you mentioned, having a license opens up the option to list properties traditionally when wholesaling isn’t the best fit.Legal Clarity: Licensing helps clarify what you can and can’t do, reducing the risk of running into legal issues that plague unlicensed wholesalers.It’s a balancing act, but for many serious operators, getting licensed seems like a logical step to expand opportunities and ensure compliance.

The students have been allowed to live all over the west side of the city, and student rents stayed pretty steady (though they have increased every year that I've been doing leasing). 

They may also require US credit history, although there are a handful that will not require a US credit report for an increased rate/ reduction in LTV. 

Lastly, if you’re currently taking a homestead exemption on property taxes, once that drops off (if you’re currently taking chose to transfer the exemption to your new home) your property taxes will likely increase $1k-$2k thus increasing your monthly mortgage.

Rents have increased significantly over the past few years.  

Unfortunately there will be a smaller population.

Schools are solid, demand is high, and I think that you'll see an increase in housing prices in the future.

Banks, particularly smaller banks who provide real estate loans are increasingly focused on their borrowers maintaining depository relationships.

Ideally a HELOC is used for less then a  year project where you can refi or sell to pay back the HELOC. 5 years is a long time, things can happen and if you reduce the cashflow on both properties you'll be increasing the risk and having thinner margins.