It's hard to give a definitive answer without knowing your entire credit history but overall, it will raise your score quicker to pay off/down in a single payment rather than to spread it out.

Real Estate (and all real assets) have a history of approximating the inflation rate, and that's a sustainable trend.

figured this would save time and money)2) package up my first multifamily purchase attempt in a way that I can get in with very little money out of my pocket3) use the leverage that the property is fully occupied with rental history and my current 29yrs on the job to help the bank see that my buy and hold history make me a better risk than the previous owner who's current circumstances put him into a position where he needed to short sell the property.I own my own home with a small equity loan, I own a rental property mortgage free, I own acreage in PA already mortgage free.

Tenants do lie you know......Verify previous rental history.

 $995/moI'd shoot for $800-$850, but I do have a history of pricing rents low.  

Large swaths of Houston's apartments were built in the 70s, especially in the southwest and eastern parts of town. 

I have no history with these people, but they seem solid, keep the place really clean, and are probably not a problem.

@Jim Watson, There's no way I would trust someone with no skin in the game, unless I had past history with them.

In the eastern PA market, I usually won't see non-recourse unless you're lower than 60-65% LTV.Before you pay off early, be sure you don't have any pre-payment penalties. 

I am going to partner with my contractor in the deal where he has the cash but I have the credit and income history to get financing.