I know becoming a part time agent is one way, but where we live in south Florida seems to be overfilled with agents and I don't think its a great fit for us right now. 

We have had to walk away from some decent deals because rates were too high to make the numbers work.

I am going to do a walk through later this week with him.

If you’re open to looking across the state—from Jacksonville to Sarasota—you can definitely find some solid deals, but you’ve got to be strategic and focus on markets that fit your goals.

Because if had I been informed of the issue prior to Dec. 12, I would have been able to back out of the transaction and walk away with my money.

But neither do you, yet you started with:"Short answer is "yes"  - which I consider misleading.And you manipulated the OP's question to fit your agenda.

A house hack sounds like it might be a good fit for you since you need somewhere to live anyway.

However, this also means walking away from future appreciation gains and potential rent increases.As for a HELOC on an investment property, yes, it’s possible, but terms are typically less favorable than primary residence HELOCs.

Some operator takes some pity on me and says I can do some of this expedited and in person but only at Lake Zurich, Mount Prospect or Springfield walk in. 

.✅ Do your research to learn what is realistic.Spend time really considering what type of business is going to be the best fit for you based on your experience and how you want to spend your time once you are the owner.