I'm a broker and property manager here in Sacramento, I manage about 100 investment properties, multifamily LTR and STR. 

Telling sellers everything wrong with their house and justifying your offer with repair costs doesn’t build trust—it kills it.

Also, think about creative financing, seller financing and sub to can also be options to grow your portfolio.

Things have to get much worse for insurance rates to continue to grow at 10-15% annually in perpetuity.  

If you are going to do a HELOC then you must understand the cost of using those funds.  

And if this is illegal in some states...what exactly is illegal about finding interested investors and matching them up with a funding source?

Hey Jeff without knowing any details everything is what you are able negotiate. but you have to take in account the years interest rate and purchase price and what kind of cash flow.I will say get a mentor if you’re inexperienced these kind of deals can go left if you really have little knowledge when it comes to structure .

If it has quartz and stainless they're thrilled. 

This is a tough crowd and content needs to be new and novel and useful.

Quote from @Hazel Anderson: Hello, bigger pockets pros, We have a rental property in Columbus and we are looking for a contractor who can replace the existing basement window with a standard sized window.