(Available time, money, income, family situation, credit availability, time horizon, real estate market location and phase, medical situation, etc etc.)

Debt paydown, getting to 0 debt, that is the "reaping" phase of things. 

I didn't mention it in the post, but I am forced to move because of military orders.

And I am also in Phase 1, making my deposit in October 2021.

Let me break it down further to clarify the mechanics of the plan.Balancing Rental Prices with Financial Sustainability:The goal to drive down rental prices isn’t an immediate or universal adjustment—it’s a phased approach that leverages time, scale, and operational efficiency.

I'm at the very starting phase of this process.

I’m also open to alternative strategies, such as private lending or passive investments in funds, to diversify and balance risk.Does this phased approach seem reasonable given the higher HELOC rate?

As you grow the real estate stuff, you can phase out/down the W2. 

With so much out of our control with military orders, we were fortunate.

Hey Tim, Under IRS Publication 523, as a military member on qualified extended duty, you benefit from an extension of the “2 out of 5 years” rule to “2 out of the last 10 years” for excluding capital gains on the sale of a primary residence.