If you need help with landlord laws, house backing strategies, or traditional MTR investing specific to New Jersey happy to help.

I think the current zoning and your proposed use as it is zoned should help. 

Wishing you all the best, happy to help however I can.

You're dealing with your "bad apple" that will forever help you curate your search criteria whenever you place future tenants. 

I think a HELOC requires a certain LTV before you can pull any equity and 1 year most likely won't be long enough for any real equity to build.I would say.

Are there specific tools, presentations, or approaches that help them feel more confident in taking that first step?

Remember you will also need help with set up, hosting and cleaners. 

Try being an agent, your phone number is EVERYWHERE and you get targeted by a whole industry that wants to sell you the latest gimmick.Here is what helped me.I answer calls and when it's a telemarketer I will interrupt them and say very friendly (because I don't hate the poor person who gets paid to do this and coached to be ruthless): Hey, so glad you called, can you do me a big favor? 

Any insights would be incredibly helpful!

Unless they cover this somehow in their contract, this is illegal.Hope this helps!