https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/short-term-rental-loans-a...DSCR Loans: Terms to Know When Working With These Popular Rental Loanhttps://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/dscr-loans-terms-to-knowWhat’s Next For DSCR Loans?

That said, I'm grateful for the alternatives you present--you're keeping the bottom line in mind, so I appreciate your help in exploring options that achieve the bottom line for the investors. 

and that was owner occ.. todays rates are pretty normal actually. what you can do if you want though is find a really good HML and let them place a loan for you making 10 to 12% while your wait for things to change to a situation that you feel you want to move forward be more net return than buying a rental thats for sure. of course no tax bene's but there really is not that much tax benefit on one rental.. so just some alternatives. 

However, when I am unable to run screening reports due to this, we can push them to our "alternate screening".

I’m also open to alternative strategies, such as private lending or passive investments in funds, to diversify and balance risk.Does this phased approach seem reasonable given the higher HELOC rate?

You could look into forming a C Corp as an alternative way to own this property that could affect your tax returns differently, I am not a CPA or giving tax advise.

Those were very good areas a couple of years ago when people were less aware of Ocala but it's gained in popularity so it's become tougher to make the numbers work, but there are still deals to be had, especially for rentals.

Are there any repair alternatives we should look into?  

Hopefully helpful as you start looking around the market, as the only other alternative is to buy cash!

Interest rates are going to have to come down because there's no way the federal government can afford long-term interest payments at these higher levels, and other countries are going to buy our debt even if their return sucks because there's no realistic viable alternative.