So, my natural inclination is to refinance out equity and invest in more properties.

Now I will plug my side of the mountains... lower costs, better weather, beautiful, good university, "nature" is much closer, several decent airports... and you still get to call Colorado home!

Naturally, if you were able to put in a lot of your own money in, you could "fake cash flow" but I would advise against it.

We chose the Springs for a lot of reasons...cost of living, natural beauty, outdoor recreation, taxes, air quality, proximity to CA and IN (our extended families are in those two states). 

After you have  been investing for awhile, people think you are "naturally" good at it but I think we all have learned expensive lessons.

On November 15, 2018, OptionSellers.com notified its investors in an email entitled “Catastrophic Loss Event” that it not only lost all their money, but that they would also owe money to Intl FC Stone for margin calls.I am writing to give you an update on the situation here with your account.We have spent the week unwinding our short natural gas call position as expediently as possible.Today which was to be the final day of liquidation, the market flared as prices appear to have been caught in a "short squeeze."

That's the nature of starting a business.

Home under contract as retail flip but considering wholesaling.  3/2 with incredible character, 2 car garage, beautiful natural light from oversized windows in kitchen and dining, and much more.ARV - $365,000+Rehab estimate - $50,000 

Some people literally change the subject to something else (and as the OP mentioned, it's not bragging - I'm not telling them about money coming in or anything of that nature - it's often something as simple as saying I filled a vacancy or made an improvement to a property).

My natural bias is always toward B/B+ SFR as tenants tend to stay longer and see them as homes, rather than pit stops.