Another possibility could be a home equity line of credit (HELOC), if you have sufficient equity in another propertyGood luck with your project!

That being said, I'm always an advocate for paying for mentorship to fast track your goals. 

It balances stability with potential for appreciation, especially if you find a reliable tenant.On the other hand, for investors with time, experience, and a willingness to take on higher risk, active strategies like value-add projects or flipping might yield quicker returns but require deeper involvement.

My goal is to leverage that equity for additional income.

Read Hunter's book.would like connections for future projects

Understand your short term and long term goals.

At that point my project manager (and partner) started pushing him. 

This is critical because depending on your future goals and what we think the market is going to do, we can structure everything to keep more money in your pocket for the next deal. 

I'm considering restructuring my rentals, the goal is asset protection and anonymity. 

The fact that you have already owned and sold a rental property gives you a great experience to start from.In terms of the best place to invest - that is whatever place meets your criteria, goals and investing style.Personally flips have not been working as well for me lately, but when we get the right BRRRR deal those are still working well.