However what happens when the tenant vacates and now the unit has to be turned over/takes a few months to find a new tenant and during that same period of time the sewer line goes and you get hit with that $15,000 cap ex expense in addition to the vacancy and turn over costs.

As you grow your portfolio, they can help you secure additional funding, refinance existing loans, and adapt to changing market conditions.Financing doesn’t have to be a roadblock to your real estate dreams.

NEVER borrow from a 401K, you are taking pre-taxed dollars and paying it back with after tax dollars, you do not get to return the loan with pre taxed dollars, in addition, some 401K plans do charge interest and maybe even fees, and lastly if you get laid off for some reason, it is a distribution with all the "fun consequences: tax at the last dollar rate, and if you are under 59.5 there is also the additional 10% penalty.Personally I like the HELOC, however you can also sell stocks and do tax harvesting there to offset gains if that is an option

In addition, due to the 2 of 5 year rule there often is no need.  2) you cannot 1031 a property that has not been put into service to be an investment property 3) you cannot 1031 a flip.  

There are also additional costs of operating and maintaining an LLC, like separate bank accounts, annual report filings, tax filings, etc.2.

Additionally, I have $100,000 in cash in the bank, and my monthly expenses for my home and family are around $3,500.My wife earns between $100,000 and $120,000 from her W2 job, while I've recently lost my job but found a new one that pays $65,000 a year.

if there is appreciation, but you wouldn’t sell your current home tax free and buy a neighboring home to rent out, (There by raising your cost basis for additional depreciation and lower capital gains tax.) then it probably doesn’t make a good rental property. . 

I have about $100k in capital reserves and can leverage the 2 properties for additional capital, as needed.

At the end of the day; you need more money to do something like this.MAX LTV on new builds is 80% LTC, Meaning if the build is $550,000 and Land is XAdd ($550,000 + x ) * .8 = LOAN AMOUNTYou would need to come in with MINIMUM 20% of the cost in addition to closing costs and reserves, $80,000 is not going to cut it for this project.

I’d appreciate any additional suggestions you might have!