For me, my #1 priority is to have financial independence, so hopefully real estate can help me achieve that goal faster, or more efficiently.

Now, you are in the early stages of a 5-year fixed - at 2.6%, at least you have a good rate - I would concentrate of operational efficiencies and building sufficient reserves to handle the inevitable vacancies and CAP Ex requirements.On your next purchase, you can build-in the buffer and pay a variable mortgage at the fixed-rate payment level.

That said, start slow with one property and get used to managing that property efficiently and well.

Make sure that your property management company is efficient (stay on top of preventative maintenance, inspections, and collections) and reasonably priced (ask for a multi-unit discount).  

It's detailed work, especially the management, and can be either very efficient and make you money, or wind up costing you a LOT.  

My goal is to make something quick and efficient so that I can refer back to it at a later date.

A full reno for us (and were extremely efficient) is over 50k up and down and we still make good margins.

I'm not sure if this is the most efficient method, but its what I have to go off of right now.

Sharad has a very efficient, value filled system and knows his stuff.In addition to the people I have named, bigger pockets has provided:A hard money lender to back the flips I am doing in AZ at rates better than what i was getting before.Lenders in Florida that are able to lend to people with more than 10 financed properties.An agent in Florida that is currently bringing me cash flow deals.Calculators I use to analyze deals.Bids from contractors on projects I'm working on.Channels to use to find new flip projects.Flip strategies to save money.Design strategies for rehabs that appeal to more people.Synergistic investing strategies to amplify resultsMentoring opportunities for new investors where I learn through teaching.A constant stream of podcasts to listen to while I drive to keep investing on my mind and introduce me to new ideas, strategies, gameplans, and encouragement.Bird dogs to send me flip deals.andArticles written in the blog about how to solve common problems that encouraged me enough to keep me from quitting when I made mistakes everyone makes but didn't realize that was ok.I'm now a licensed real estate agent in CA in addition to an investor with properties that span over 5 states and several flip projects going on at once.  

They all want to classify it as an efficiency, not a tiny house, or one bedroom apt, therefore, the comps come in ridiculously low.