Makes sense about just talking to them / asking them directly, and that's helpful to get more perspective on how you might approach reviewing credit.

We can use AI that summarize the answer from all 10+ years discussions.I alwasy ask something like this AI prompt "In biggerpocket site, what's the recommended approach when........ .."

@Joe Derobertis Thanks for sharing your journey and the thoughtful approach you’ve taken toward real estate investing.

If you are stretching yourself thin, then the HELOC approach may not be best.

Detroit has more to offer though:)Overall, your approach should be strategic and you should be targeting a specific Property Class (A, B, C, D).If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.So, when investing in areas they don’t really know, investors should research the different property Class submarkets.

Here's how I approach it:- Acknowledge the Seller’s Perspective: First, I make sure to recognize that the seller might think they could net more by going directly through a realtor.

It's been a game-changer in my investment approach, and I've completed two deals this way already.

A rather unscrupulous approach by some investors is to go to the homeowner after the auction and say, "I'll give you $X,XXX dollars if you will sell me your house for "some price" that is less than they would have paid at auction.  

I can speak with you on the best way to approach this.

Balancing both goals can be achieved through a hybrid approach, where a portion of funds is allocated towards paying down the primary residence while also saving or investing in another property.