It would probably help if the story you told was about accessing the equity to purchase further income producing assets rather than fly to the caribbean and buy an Audi.By putting together a small but professional looking package and going to sit down with some community banks in person, I think you'll get a tremendous amount of experience and straight feedback on what's possible or not and why.Good luck!

it seems most use Excel....Personally the last few years i have been extremely hands off on my rentals, i have all my rentals managed professionally and have had so little problems that i can go an entire year without hearing from them and print out my tax info for tax season....Since im actually studying to invest in real estate better and make better ROI, i am looking to setup tracking on my properties so i can understand my numbers better and predict things in the future...I was curious if someone would share an example of how they are tracking their properties and expenses so i can format my own correctly from the start. 

People are friendly.New metro station coming (either before the 2028 olympics or if not, then in 2040):http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-west-h...New Sprouts and Target coming nearby at La Brea & San Vicente:https://commercialobserver.com/2018/08/cim-group-a...The overall character of the neighborhood is mixed, with working-class families and young professionals interspersed.

Consult with qualified tax professional such as @Michael Plaks or @Brandon Hall. 

My family, particularly my sister and dad both of the whom have professional real estate experience, has been instrumental in helping me identify the income-producing property I currently have a contract and am looking to close on.

It is possible to have the partnership structured with your IRA, the process can be cumbersome so it is crucial that you work with qualified and experienced professional who can assist you with proper structure.

Looking to network with professionals in CT in the new haven county.

There are TONS of videos out there on YouTube about real estate investing.

I just recently left a good stable job for a job that appeared to be an opportunity for professional growth.

That said because of your advice I think we'll do the learning journey together but I'll look into investing on my own first, or with a more professional partner.