It depends what your goals are, but if you want to scale you have to learn how to use OPM (other peoples money).

Small scale property owners don't have many advantages over the big hedge fund guys. 

Scaling up and finding the tax strategies to benefit.

They are able to provide hand written options at scale for a more personal touch.

How can someone scale up in multi family from single family without syndication and partnerships?

Ultimately, I chose the route of investing in private placements (syndications) with a goal of being truly hands off and having access to larger deals with greater economies of scale. 

Are you the only owner living off this $54,000 a month of revenue, meaning there are no partners splitting this $180 a door revenue, Will you be using partners early on to scale, then go solo after accumulating a few million to purchase that 300 unit property by yourself?

Petersburg is tempting... buy a couple city blocks and use scale to make it work?

Once you feel comfortable, HELOC your free primary and use those funds to scale. 

@Lee Cruz good goals and plan.........in order to scale it comes with some debt or it is too slow.