It will come natural to you soon enough 

what if you buy the 8, and sell one for $$, use that, and have 7 with no increased debt or partners?

Would be happy to chat a bit further about this.30 yr AM will increase your cashflow on the rental significantly & will allow you to qualify for more on the next purchase, this is usually a no-brainer.

If the property contains a residential structure, and if you make repairs, and if the taxpayer redeems, they will also have to pay you however much you increased the value of the property with your repairs.

A good strategy is to use the LOC to make an all cash purchase, that way you increase your bargaining position, then once the property is yours, get a lower interest 30 fixed loan on it, & repay most of your LOC.

They have a window for owner occupied buyers first, to promote home purchases to increase homeownership for those renting and you come in and represent yourself as one of them, and buy it, and then flip it for a higher price?

Hi -How have others handled it when general contractors have increased the cost after the job was complete without an agreement for additional work.

It seems to me that because of the increase in the standard deduction with the tax reform, that I don't really have a big enough mortgage to get any additional tax benefits. 

Others say it will increase our premiums and we should pay a lawyer to handle it ourselves.

I have a lot of confidence of on-going short-term rent appreciation (next 5 years) but less confidence of significant on-going property appreciation (I expect a leveling off but am not real confident of any prediction).High end homes (bigger and more expensive) have worse cash flow than middle class or working class homes.Note a small multiplex or your 16+ unit will experience similar rent and property appreciation to your SFR and have better initial cash flow (it will be poor initial cash for San Diego but increase with the rent appreciation).To summarize, SFR are not the best buy n hold investment option in San Diego.