All you are doing is saving that interest payment which means you will never be able to maximise your returns and achieve a descent return on your money.

You want all tenant owned homes and invest in as large of a community you can afford to maximise your returns.

Stay as a tennat/renter yourself to maximise your cash saving potential and use flips to build up your cash reserves.  

That is the obvious approach to utilising cash and maximising your returns.

Minimum down on as many properties as you can swing will maximise your returns.

I would choose to maximise my returns by investing my money where it will earn it's keep.

Should you refinance....only if you want to maximise your returns.

All my present profits and all equity from my real estate income is redirected to other income streams to maximise my returns.

Paying cash may help investors sleep better at night (ignorance being bliss) but losing all that money every month is certainly not wise investing.A wise investor maximises leverage to generate highest returns on cash and holds a reserve in other vehicles to be used for the same security as dead equity while still earning maximum returns.

Take advantage of that and maximise your education first.