It's a super affordable real estate market where you can still find deals that hit the 1% rule and positive cash flow/great cap rates.

My idea for wanting the HELOC is to have access to funds for future deals.  

But the person seemed bent on me wire transferring within 3 days, or the deal will no longer be valid.

You can still find deals that are priced from $120-180k that do positive cash flow and hit the 1% rule.

How I would go about it is bring a deal to someone ( a friend or colleague) that I knew had money, offer them the terms I have in mind and continue until I find one.

Hey @Nat Love how many deals have you done with the group of what you have learnt?

To only invest $5k into the deal with those returns is fantastic. 

With myself as an operator I would offer the following: underwriting the deals, a detailed scope of work, a detailed material list, the labor, and the management.  

Don't cut special deals to help a friend or act like a big shot.

Dealing with a dead body was a lot easier and cheaper then some of the nightmares i experienced.I still can't shake the memory of the one who painted the ENTIRE house in feces art. 2 stories, every room.