I made a relatively low offer and after one negotiation we settled on a price that was about 45% lower than the original list price.

A HELOC offers flexibility, as you only pay interest on what you use, but rates tend to be variable.

A PM offers so many additional services in addition to things you cannot do yourself - like simply having a 3rd party between you and the tenant.

Quote from @James Wise: Quote from @Bruce Woodruff:  I still find the Forums almost as fun as ever, but I'm just here to have fun and offer advice where I can actually provide any useful help....Lol....Yes, the search feature is not great, but I find that true for most forums....?

You can also use online resources such as City Data to search demographics in the area. 

Large apartment complexes flooded the market with inventory and are offering crazy incentives and amenities that crush the small landlord which can make finding a tenant challenging and often for less than market rent. 

It all started when my wife's college friend offered me an opportunity to invest in a commercial property.

Do you suggest adding a package to my digital guidebook or offering it differently?

There's a post right above mine from a lender... there's always a lender offering $$$ even when people can't afford it. 

@Dave Foster is a great resource on 1031 exchanges.