Ali,If you want to learn some of the tips and loopholes on the finance or banking side feel free to reach out or send me an email. 

We used a HELOC from First Bank and they were great to work with in getting us a HELOC at a great rate. 

There is always a chance that rates will drop, but I would imagine $25K would buy down the annual rate so significantly that you would never see a lower rate offered by a bank so you wouldn't even think about refinancing.

It would be great if there was a way to find out which banks offered the Vendee loan so we could target them a little better. 

My bank will not do HELOC on properties i do not occupy, but will do it if the water or other utilities are in my name.

We use a 3rd party company that specializes in only property management trust accounting (nothing else), and they reconcile the bank account every single day.

I also suggest you be leery of following well intended guidance from those unfamiliar with the rules of your jurisdiction/state (and why I address statewide rent control ordinance but state I do not know if your jurisdiction has more extreme rules).  

That way I am rewarded but not using the business account as a piggy bank. 

I was at a CCIM luncheon recently and some of my lender buddies and I were discussing that many of their banks are getting out of multi-family because of rising costs to manage the properties...including taxes and insurance.

Eventually called up my bank to stop this fraudster named Kai and ask for refund, but the bank can only credit the most recent charge per their policy.