@Whitney McNair Buy another property that had the ability to cash flow.

In all honesty, the ability to work with a senior lender who accepts mezzanine debt structures is the more difficult part of the equation.

To tell you my position and situation I'm in right now, I'm a police officer in the city of Marquette MI, I make about 50k a year and my wife is finishing her degree this year.

I would consider making the ability to restore the basement to a full house if you ever sold it. 

on the other hand, a 30-year fixed mortgage gets you 1. a fixed payment and 2. the ability to free your cash up for other things.if paying off debt is a priority that's great - only you can decide what you're comfortable with. 

The biggest draw for larger brokers is the ability to hide comp behind the margin curtain on the rate sheet and change it by loan size, etc.

Nowadays-  those lots are hard to find for $100-150K and shovel ready (those with utilities in place) can often ask $250K+ in prime areas with ocean views or access and they are increasingly few and far between and sell FAST - because they are worth at least a bitcoin or two..There are a lot of drivers of PNW coastal appreciation including; societal and environmental refuge and retreat,  generational wealth transfer, demand growth, invest-ability and maybe most importantly - location.

Again subjective, they at a minimum should have some ability to be a part of the decision making process.

I have an advanced degree.

It’s built specifically for rental investors and offers business-account features such as no minimum balance, no monthly maintenance fees, and the ability to open property-specific virtual sub-accounts (helpful when you’re house-hacking and planning a rental next).Here are a few things to ask when comparing banks that may help guide your choice:Monthly fees / minimum balancesAbility to separate finances by property or entity (especially helpful with an LLC)Online/mobile interface ease (remote usability and access)Integration with rent collection and bookkeeping tools you’ll use as you growGood luck with the house hack and the next rental!