Banks aren't really in the business of lending to real estate investors anyway...they focus primarily on "operating entities", but they can be done.

I'm applying for fixed 30 yr mortgage refis with investment banks 

And it's convenient for life if you use your personal bank account, you can still have one app for rentals and paying friends.-  Con's:  Nothing about the software per say, but about the landlord experience. 

I have negotiated short sales for myself as the buyer with the banks for 14 years and have seen this quite often. 

My goals would be to increase monthly cash flow and have more access to the property's equity for things like Cap Ex, etc....Here's a blurb from a lender's website:"By combining banking functionality with home financing into one dynamic instrument, borrowers are able to save tens of thousands of dollars and years off their loan""Designed after popular programs around the world, the All In One First Lien HELOC is the nation’s first transactional offset type-mortgage program.Home financing and banking combined:Deposits lower your loan’s principalFunds remain available for expensesInterest is calculated on the average daily balanceThis lowers the monthly interest paymentsTens of thousands of dollars can be saved over the life of the loanMortgage freedom can be achieved in half the time or less

Regional bank financing with a construction loan How did you add value to the deal?

Probably not a bank you were looking for, but a hard money lender.

We used a local bank Wilson Bank and Trust.

Once you have REPS the distinction between passive income (or losses) and active income (W2) disappears and all those tax losses you have been banking can be applied to the W2.Good luck

For HELOCs without W2 income, look into local credit unions or community banks, as they often have more flexibility with alternative income verification and rental portfolios.