Are there other ways to reduce my mortgage that I am not aware of (besides refinancing)?

Partnering with others can reduce risk and access better deals.

He's very thorough with this standard inspections and he also offers "investor due diligence" inspections at a reduced rate.

this will yield a bunch of random markets all over the countrywhy not pick a market where you have some kind of advantage and focus all your energy on that? 

I think your income easily justifies a common-sense, time-proven method: increase earnings, reduce expenses, save, and invest.

You cannot beat the power of an ADU for peace of mind, leveraging your home to pay less monthly and reduce your expenses and give you the experience and confidence of doing constriction, getting permits and working with the city and managing a very easy rental.

It's good to look at data and then your lifestyle, time, and energy to find the greatest city to invest.

The cost of energy is heavily subsidized.  

House hacking is a great strategy for beginners—it lets you reduce your living expenses while building equity.

Additionally, it’s helpful to educate tenants on ways to conserve utilities, such as using energy-efficient habits.