If you don't have mortgages on the properties, it can be cost effective to do a property package policy with a commercial insurance company for the rentals - this is where you can insure multiple properties on one policy. 

When investing, you typically want your money to be as effective as possible, but that's not to say there are non monetary things that add value to your investments.

If everyone has carpet and vinyl flooring, then a laminate wood upgrade could provide that finishing touch that is better than the others without a major price increase to you.This all becomes a happy balance between design and budget and that takes experience.

And when I didn't I wasn't as efficient or effective as I was when I did follow the routine. 

Still 'writing it off, just different terms and timing :-)Looking into the effects on inheritance is definitely a good idea.

I didn’t know that would effect my DTI.

I have no clue what effect the neighborhood will have on the value of my home.

That leaves Roth IRAs, but they cap how much you can invest, and you still are forced to part with your money for decades.I'd far rather put as much of my money in an appropriately designed, high cash value, whole life insurance policy, borrow out from the policy and buy real estate.

Why can't you design your own? 

I've looked into getting our license but it's not cost effective for us to do so yet.