I'm not in that market so I can't speak specifically to it, but to me the deciding factor would be what the surrounding units and area has. 

There is a house (2b x 1b) in the family I was interested in becoming the owner of.

HELOCs are generally provided to properties that are held in the owner's personal name.Are your family members not interested in refinancing the property?

Decide what you are going to do then tell them what YOU are going to do.

I'd suggest scheduling a tour with each company and deciding which one fits you best.

I do appreciate you taking the time to respond regardless.The IRS specifically calls out owner distance from rental and having a property manager as a red flag that owner isn't materially participating.

This is a common misconception but we're an online platform where the owner chooses their own price and selects their own tenants.

I've built relationships with property managers who have distressed properties in their portfolios that can communicate directly to owners. 

Context: I just moved to Portland, OR and finally decided to pivot careers from healthcare into real estate.

Example: Absentee Owner-owned over 10 years-and the search area you are wanting to stick to.