I notice that some markets are overwhelmed with large apartment complexes with pools, gyms, etc.

You're also going to be called for a maintenance issue sooner or later.

The representative on the phone would not say what the current backlog is or whether it may be able to be completed sooner than the total 6 weeks.

Sooner or later everyone goes through this.

If I put $20K of that money down on my property to make it pay off sooner and reduce my interest expense. 

The sooner the better!

The main point is do it sooner rather than later because I dont see rents going down in next few years and interest rates will go up which means while you might be able to buy a 9 cap in a few years if the market corrects downward the cost of acquisition will be higher and that will off set the cap rate gains. 

So if you have a 1Bed/1Bath single family home, you can't use an apartment complex with a pool and a gym as a direct comp.

@Cody Evans the sooner you can build rapport with a local lender the better off you will be. 

Showered at the gym until I finished tiling/grouting/caulking.