HI Stephen,You can always open HELOC or line of credit from your primary house or non primary house, assuming you have sufficient equity and income to qualify.

Can be formal or informal. 

Hi Michael, As others have stated you do not need an LLC to qualify for a residential mortgage.

If you make enough money to qualify without counting any rents, no worries. 

Convert the Property to a Primary Residence: If you live in the property for at least two of the five years before selling, you may qualify for the primary residence exclusion, which allows you to exclude up to $250,000 of capital gains ($500,000 for married couples) from taxation.4.

If applicants can't qualify on their own, I don't rent to them.

We used to do all the qualifying as agents, push the loan officers who didn't want to work to get the job done, give comps to the appraisers etc. etc.

To reduce your tax bill, consider qualifying for Real Estate Professional Status (REPS) by spending 750+ hours on real estate activities, which reclassifies losses as non-passive.

I’m considering formal training or certification programs to sharpen my skills and possibly expand into managing additional properties.For those of you with more experience, which property management organizations or certifications would you recommend?

I highly recommend a well-qualified REALTOR who works with investors and knows how to help you best.7.