@Andrew Postell So would you recommend going to banks directly, or are independent mortgage brokers good to use as well?

This doesn't make sense to me, should we just hire an independent appraiser to go over our portfolio so we know our true equity position. 

I have had both of them plus and independent general contractor walk the house and point out any issues and they have all been addressed so if they do come up with something I have multiple people that will refute their opinion.

How about an independent broker so that they don't need to be registered and share profits with an external brokerage? 

@Chingju Hu I'm sure there are a number of rules of thumb and calculations but I like to look at each building independently and be sure that I am equipped to handle the most likely failure(s) there - the bigger the building the bigger your reserve fund likely needs to be.An $80k commercial HVAC system that's nearing the end of its useful life should equate to a larger reserve allocation than a smaller residential one.

Ultimately my goals are independence and passive income - though I'm certainly ready to listen, collaborate and learn! 

Looking for an independent appraiser for a Denver area house.  

My dream would be to become financial independent in less than a decade, so I am currently saving and investing as much as I can.

Worth area and I'm looking at taking my first steps towards financial independence.

It has full bath & 1 bedroom already and an independent entrance.