Quote from @Matthew Crivelli: Personally, I'm not a fan of Air B & B.

@Jason Weidmannit's only solid if:1) you pick a market that you can go to in person and build a team first, and 2) you recognize that RE is a long-term investment, and you may have to wait 5-10 years, or longer, before seeing ANY return. 

Personally I like the Section 8 program when the property is located in a super poor area with a ton of blight and crime.

This will allow you to remove the person and do the financing on your own.Home Equity Loan/Line of Credit: Since you're looking to access equity, a home equity loan or line of credit (HELOC) can be a good option.

Personally I like to build with cash to avoid the extra expenses, so I dont actually finance anything until its done and I have decided to hold it.

I got a deal on labor as I know the contractor personally and helped out a bit with the project.

Personally, my primary residence has appreciated around 6% in market value and I live in Levittown. 

I personally started in my local real estate market in Columbus Ohio.

I am still personally buying rentals but I am not expecting much in the way of cash flow at the moment.

I would be fine with a $10k non-refundable retainer and $500/hr. personally.