And while nothing is foolproof the most consistent method of finding good vendors is relying on OTHER real estate investors that have worked with those vendors. 

I’ve had many clients do a traditional 1031 and then they feel like they have a gun to their head with the shot clock.  

There are still a few that will give you a loan but the traditional 90% of purchase price and 100% of rehab might not be possible without an exception.

As a side note typically I do not use my deferred tax dollars to invest in traditional real estate as the benefits (depreciation etc) are all lost when using a self directed IRA - My guess is build to rent will provide little to no cash flow to build the account - it will all be locked in the property. 

Dan, Investment HELOCS are extremely hard to achieve considering they are not DSCR underwrites. they are more traditional conventional qualifications.

I want this to be acceptable long term if I keep this method of financing. 

What are the best methods to independently verify zoning and land use data to ensure compliance with local regulations?

(For context, it's a 2700 sf 4 bd 3 bath house in an upscale Northern California suburb.)Kitchen A: Traditional, features a 48 in fridge, 36 in cooktop, window sink (no view), pantry.Kitchen B: Designer, features a 60 in fridge, 48 in range, large kitchen window (no view), sink facing living/dining room; unfortunately no pantryKitchen C: A Little Bit of Both, features a 48 in fridge, 48 in range, sink facing living/dining room, pantry, unfortunately there's no window.Total countertop space is roughly the same (22 ft)  in all three layouts.

Is the only way to pay for a Reno for my childhood home to sell my current home or is there a method I'm not familiar with that I can use my current homes value to help me out??

What are the challenges of passive investing as opposed to traditional real estate investing?