Other direction, actually, I'd rather over-pay (& I do in fact overpay, relative to market) and know that I'm getting a stellar high level of service, communication, speed, smoothness, etc. 

Don't get locked into the mentality that you NEED a W2, or stellar tax returns. 

With the refinance, I'm essentially "purchasing" a 145k property that only rents for 1200, and that's not a stellar deal.

My current home came with the tenants and they have been stellar.

Not to get you down, but you really do have to put effort into it regardless of what sort of stellar person you are. 

Some of the markets you listed are not great areas to BRRRR unless you are able to find a stellar deal.

Economists say that 2020 will be a positive — though not exactly stellar — year for the housing market.

Similar to a comment above, you can find nice pockets in neighborhoods that may not have stellar reputations, which can be a much more affordable option than investing in the more trendy neighborhoods.

From what I understand, you need the following:-25% down payment-6 months of PITI reserves for each property-Stellar mortgage payment history-Proof of financial soundness (i.e. no bankruptcies, solid tax records, P&L statements)-Excellent credit ratingHere's the info straight from Fannie Mae's site

My first deal wasn’t stellar five years ago, but I learned so much from it and it got me in the game. 10 SFRs later and I’m still learning.