Above is picture from original listing purchase.

Our pain point is that we have talk to many banks and it seems we have no way of taping into the equity of our portfolio. 

Just make sure they specialize in tax and have significant experience dealing with real estate investors.Here is a great list of questions to ask a potential accountant: http://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/51/topics/70447-questions-to-ask-a-cpaAlso check out the www.NAEA.org page in your search.

I'd seen and been part of several conversations regarding single-color-paint-schemes, and I liked the look and idea of doing it, but after talking with my brother-in-law who owns a successful painting business, and my father, who owned a successful painting business, I decided to abandon the single color scheme.The primary reason behind our choice was what you mentioned.

I get tons of listings from there and wouldn't touch anywhere in the Northeast with a ten foot pole personally.

I just set up some for tomorrow to talk through some further questions.

Is talking about your own experience now illegal?

not really after taxes and realtor fees.I think we are talking about the same deadline: If you did not live there for 2 years of the previous 5 years, you cannot take that 500K subtraction from your capital gain, assuming you file jointly.  

The company will sign the lease, with the employee listed as the tenant.

Hello folks in Georgia / Atlanta,The Bigger Pockets Book On Rental Property Investing provides access to a comprehensive list of 34 forms that would be useful to a landlord including things like a lease agreement, application, late rent notice, move-in-move-out agreement, estoppel agreement, tenant phone questionnaire, pet addendum, etc. etc. etc.