Home Equity - Mitigating Risk

[Chris Carroll]

I'm struggling with the idea of funding my first deal using a home equity load against my primary residence. By far this is my greatest potential source of funds ($100K+ in equity). While I am willing to risk the equity itself, I'm not comfortable risking foreclosure.

Is there any technique or guidance to mitigate the risk of losing my house in this scenario?

I don't have a specific deal lined up but am evaluating some commercial RE opportunities. I plan to leave adequate reserves for contingencies and plan to avoid over-leveraging any property I purchase.