My investment home (SFH) which is currently rented out has increased my DTI significantly.

I believe I can do a much better job investmenting that money in property that will increase in value twice as fast as mutual funds + cash flow.

The inherited tenants were both on MTM leases.  14 months now after closing on the property, both of those inherited tenants are now on leases, 1 of them signed an 18 month lease with a built in rent increase that went into effect this past June.  

Their purchasing power is expected to increase rapidly, with an expected $1.4 trillion in disposable income by the year 2020 (socialmediatoday.com).

Yes, as long as it is explained in the Lease that the increase covers the cost of the heat, but why not average it for 12 months?

A conventional loan is just a standard loan like you're getting to purchase the rental.The Executory contract sounds like your best bet based on your goals.  

I trust most active landlords have heard of the April 4, 2016 "Office of General Counsel Guidance on Application of Fair Housing Act Standards to the Use of Criminal Records by Providers of Housing and Real Estate-Related Transactions" For those of you who have read the guidance, what "policies and practices" have you put in place for specific prior criminal behavior?

Hopefully taxes don't continue to increase but not exactly optimistic about it.

Some properties had lower vacancy because they severely cut their screening standards to put heads in beds, but their units were full of concession surfers who would take the one month free deal, never pay, wait to be evicted, then repeat at the next property. 

I am in the process of having my personal home appraised with the goal of increasing my HELOC.