Direct buy? 

Or should I just exhaust the heloc and keep buying houses? 

He bought his first couple houses in the first year or two and didn’t buy much for a few years.

Quote from @Debra Gross: Getting ready to buy my first property all cash in my LLC.

I would also add, a contractor that you can buy materials for and they know how to put them in with little to know direction (reduces the management time of the project).

But, know what you want to accomplish beforehand.Creative Finance is a great way to buy properties when done properly and lawfully. 

Just make sure to look into the HOA’s financials, rules, and rental policies before buying.

The 5-10 it gets heavier and a lot busier, and 10-15-20 it really is untenable to self-manage especially if this is not you main business like a person buying their own rentals and building it like a small business. 

Your credit at risk and might affect your ability to buy a home in the future. 

A good Realtor that knows investing should be able to connect you with a great PM in the area where you plan to buy.