Partnering with a wholesaler sounds fine, but check the real estate licensing laws in your state before bringing a buyer for a commission.You might consider getting your real estate agent's license and legitimately earn what your skills, drive, and experience truly command. exactly wholesaling or bird dogging is not a life time or long time occupation  RE sales can be lifetime and if your any good at it at about year 10 you should be getting all your sales from referrals and such.

Using a HELOC for your first flip can be cost-effective due to lower interest rates, but it risks your primary residence if the project fails.

That sounds like a strategy that some of the YouTube gurus are teaching to wannabe investors with no money or experience and that is going to end up with a lot of deals going sideways as these buyers will probably fail because overpaying is obviously a bad strategy to begin with. 

It was one of my first claims and I learned how their claim system works and never failed again. 

Don't have a buyers list?

I would add that you should definitely checkout some local real estate meetups as that's the best way to quickly build a buyer's list. 

He’s a cash buyer but is looking for ways to purchase at a price point higher than normal so I’m trying to find him someone who can educate us on how to get this type of loan through underwriting and some deals closed and we don’t want to be scammed or played.

With rates high, I don't see much changing in the market as buyers struggle to afford a mortgage. 

Where is the benefit to the end buyer here? 

Quote from @Amit Chugh: While searching for apartments, i noticed a commercial apartment listed as Section 8 property, does it make any difference from buyer/seller perspective when it's listed as section 8 property.