You will not get full honest reviews publically on any program. 

As for Alexandria specifically in terms of regulations don't take advice from a public forum - look up the laws yourself and make sure you understand them.

Thankfully I have no property in NY.I loved this quote which shows just how clueless people are about housing issues:“Housing instability is at the root of so many problems facing our city, such as exacerbating homelessness and hunger, failing to meet our children’s educational needs, and undermining public safety,” said the CWTU in a statement.

It sounds like the Title Co. was not aware that the tenant prepaid rent and just prorated the current rent for the month of closing, so agree if they had no knowledge of it, would not have ever gone on the settlement statement as a credit to the buyer and they likely will not do anything post closing to help obtain those funds. 

I am sure I will be very publicly wrong, and you all can make fun of me in two years, when stocks double and real estate prices crash 20% from here, but I just don't know how you can watch this industry, this closely, for this long, and not be raring to go in the current environment. 

You can surely buy cheaper properties and obtain the same debt pay-down, but now you've got 5x the head-ache, so right asset class is more about efficiency when it comes to debt pay-down.Tax shielding is similar concept in that more expensive properties directionally give you more building basis to depreciate, which means less net income to tax.

The date you are able to take depreciation is when the property is ready for renting (i.e. advertising for rent or obtaining a certificate of occupancy).

Sounds like it is best to either use the HELOC or obtain a conventional mortgage rather than using a HELOC and then a cash out refi.  

This my goal to obtain over the next 5-10 years.

I think public perception of the Midwest has not caught up to the reality on the ground.