While I was speaking with my personal bank, they said they could offer better rates in the form of a traditional mortgage, but would cap my lending amount at a 43% debt to income ratio.My goal is to leverage my money as much as possible to maximize my buying power. 

Thx Rob I'm going to look into that I'm just concerned that my debt to income ratio won't allow me to qualify for another loan the bank gave me a hard time getting the loan I have now.

As long as you qualify to carry the debt you can keep buying houses with just 20-25% down until you can't carry the debt or you run out of the 10 mortgages.

The best way to minimize your debt to income ratio is to pay off any and all revolving debt you can (credit cards). 

I don't know it just doesn't work for me taking out mortgages no matter how good the deal is even if it is so called 'good' debt. 

@Phillip Syrios They probably look at debt/income ratio, credit limits, card utilization, length of employment, delinquencies, and bankruptcies.

I was told that once I sold the home via short sale, I would not be able to obtain another loan for 2 years.December 2013, the home sold in a short sale for $84,500 all of which went to settle the debt on the first loan.

The code violations, city/county/utility debts stay withe property.  

Aaron, I don't know if students are a protected class, but you can have rules in place that would probably eliminate the vast majority of students from consideration.  

I have already used my VA loan for our primary residence and she was recently turned down for an FHA loan due to her debt to income ratio being to high (student loans).