I'm looking at what my next best step can be. Heloc or sell?

[Cal Hollow]

I'm currently in a situation where I can see there are a few different opportunities and I'm looking for some guidance or thoughts on what could be beneficial for me. I currently have a permanent residence where I have lived for two years plus, and would no longer have to pay capital gains where I am at on any profit under $250,000. I bought my house for $149,000 and currently only have $125,000 left to pay off. I have a few offers for my house from anywhere from $300,000- $350,000 with legitimate buyers. My thoughts are if I sell it, it would be a great jump start on my rental portfolio and will give me money to work with towards investments. However, I could also get a Heloc loan and use my equity to buy my next investment property and still be able to reside in my primary for another year or so. I'm new to the real estate investment side of things and am really hoping I could get some feedback on what other people might do in this situation and give me a little confidence on choosing one side over the other. Thanks in advance, really do appreciate it!