Additionally, seek out testimonials or referrals from other real estate clients to gauge the CPA's expertise and reliability. 

It's a 3 bedroom house and we plan to use technology such as a smart lock, WIFI exterior cameras, and a smart thermostat.

Have you considered a cash-out refi instead of a HELOC to lock in a fixed rate and avoid variable rate risks?

Are your losses locked up against your passive income?

The key is building a reliable local team—property managers, realtors, and contractors you trust.

To build momentum, I’d start small, assemble a reliable local team, and ensure the properties I invest in have strong fundamentals.

And I have a tenant locked in for a year at $1400 (they signed a year lease right before the house was put on the market in December).

Those types of properties can bring in good returns, but the management can be intensive, and finding reliable tenants for both residential and commercial spaces might take some work.

Beyond real estate investing, BiggerPockets Money has great episodes on how to avoid the middle class trap with your investments - ie how to structure your investment best so that they're not all locked up in accounts with penalties until you're 65. 

Squatters can now be locked out of a property and their possessions removed, but a landlord CANNOT physically remove the squatters themselves.The local police are supposed to enforce these laws and assist landlords in removing squatters.The reality is that when you call the Detroit Police to remove squatters:1) The police often don’t know/care about squatter laws and state you must take the squatters to court to evict them.