I'm interested in everyone's opinions on using a HELOC to purchase turn-key rentals for the short term and covering principal paydown across all new mortgages / loans ( HELOC ) through excess income. 

Same logic applies here as it does to your previous experience, there's just simply an added layer of the income produced by the property. 

For example, some are turning one point into the value of 15 or even 20 points, stretching their points further.

Turn-key would likely be the smoothest, but I am open to a fixer upper if the numbers work.As far as the unique funding, I am an equities investor with accounts held in trust and therefore my taxed income is quite low which limits my options unless I opt for a portfolio loan or separate entirely through a DSCR loan.

For it to work properly (ie heat the unit), it needs to be kept on in the winter even if she turns it down when she's away or in the evening. 

Many investors in the Bay Area are turning their attention to midwest markets, such as Ohio, in search of cash flow opportunities.

Real estate investments (STRs, MTRs, live in flips) have produced my best returns by a good margin.

Our best use for the property would be to build a couple of large estate home (8k sq' and up) and form a private estate, but, being that we are in the County with no existing zoning requirements, we could also build what we want and potentially turn it into an income generating property.

But it turns out that he is a serial sand-bagger.

They arent really allowed to turn you away, but they will push you away with terrible loan pricing and intentionally bad service.