Hello Brad,VERY excited to receive your response.Presently, we are refining our business plan.WE are a team: 41 years as a sole proprietor self-employed carpenter /builder on the east coast from Maine to Florida.Jessica is the Operations Manager directly supporting the owners of an established Malibu, CA-based vegan company, with manufacturing located in the Philipines.

Earlier in the pandemic, I had a couple refinances done and they did a "drive by appraisal", which is what you are describing.

The appreciation year over year allowed one of my house hack clients to refinance this year and remove the MIP from his original 3.5% down FHA loan.

You might find that in 3-5 years you are unable to refinance at the LTV you were planning on.

Also seeking insight on the best areas to rehab and refinance a multi family(typically lower westchester).

We are paying cash and will put a new roof on and will want to refinance right away.  

At 80% occupancy the storage unit building combined with the now rehabbed retail space, the property will be cash-flowing about $25,000 a year($2,100/month at 80% occupancy).Once we are at 80-90% occupancy we will refinance doing 75% LTV and recoup 100% of my initial investment ($105,000) as well as my partners rehab costs (20k).

Or if I should refinance later and utilize a different loan down the road?

My last few deals have been in my personal name because we were unable to refinance with amazing rates in my llc.

So in the future you could refinance the rental to take out tax free money to pay down your primary residence to accelerate this even more, or sell the rental to capture the equity in it to pay down the primary residence.Regardless of your choice- refinancing would probably be in your best interest on one or both of the properties.