When he refinances I'll get the other $30,000 in equity from the deal.

It wont be your best investment ever, but it at least it will get you started.2) If you really want to spend the time making sure you get a home run, you need to find a distressed property that you can put the equity into.

All in cost, approximately 72k, I just got my appraisal back and was surprised to see it at 125K which I used the equity to sescure deal #5.

For the most part I’d say the landlord/tenant laws favor the landlord.

We've put a lot of sweat equity into our current home, made a good profit, and we are looking forward to bringing everything we've learned into our new duplex close to the beach here in San Diego.

My end goal is financial independence and my plan is to use my savings from my W2 job to invest in more passively managed real estate that will cash flow positive and build equity over time.

The downside to them is that they would not get to participate in the overall profit of the project if it all goes well, but of course they also have less risk than everyone else.If they want in as equity investors, you should consider an LLC or a Limited Partnership (with the LLC as the general partner). 

A friend of mine who’s a realtor is telling me I have major equity.

I am considering expanding, should I take out a home equity to buy my second investment property?

We bought 6 years ago and now we are sitting on a lot of equity - about 1.4 million.