And, based on some really basic math: if that lifestyle costs $2mm/yr (the leased/financed G5, the FL and Malibu mansions, etc) and the typical core multifamily deal kicking off 4% cash on cash to LPs (if that), we could all have that lifestyle too.  

How does this work in FL and what is cost for someone who did it recent?

Ironically, the investor that should creatively take on "no to low money down" creative financing opportunities is the one that has the funds or lines of credit to stroke a check to pay it off.

A few years of no/low premium increases coupled with crazy inflation, lousy investment returns, and heavy losses and they're just trying to get back to some stability and end their losses.

For whatever reason, they accepted my first low offer to scoop them all up.

Make sure you keep records of the expenses as it will most likely add to the cost basis of your property when you go to rent it, increasing depreciation and lessening income.

I'll reiterate my general point: it's a viable and sensible strategy to refi properties in high-cost, low-cashflow states and use the funds to invest in low-cost, high-cashflow states.

I’ll be contacting gnnd folks next week to see if we can tap into the “silent second” mortgage, in which sits the other 50% of the cost of the house, before our 3 years are up.

I would not sell the Corpus house, since the interest rate is low and I would expect the cash flow to be solid.  

If you hire someone to title search every property you are interested in, it will cost you a fortune.