After my initial email contact with my mentor I wrote out a list of questions for our phone call and we worked our way through them during our call.

I called the zoning department and they are telling me this is a Mixed use building (N zone).

You mentioned buying a fixer upper with your HELOC and now are talking about a 20% down payment.

Worth has tough restrictions, Dallas and Plano I think are both trying to implement restrictions.Where do you want to buy?

Starting with a $100K headstart is more than a enough to buy a new primary home. 

As someone new to NYC, I'd appreciate insights on:The current state of the UES market in this price rangeWhether buying makes financial sense for a 3-year timeline versus rentingThe pros and cons of co-ops versus condos in the neighborhoodI'm particularly interested in hearing from those with experience in the area, as I'm looking to make an informed decision.

Just call up an agent and ask them if they are the best in their market , odds are the first call you make will be the one .

For example, I often recommend working with vendors who specialize in rental property maintenance or have experience with rental landscaping to keep your property looking great without overspending.Start Small and SmartFocus on buying a property that fits your budget and investing goals.

If you find a good PM they can help you find, buy, and rent a property.  

Happy to jump on a call sometime and talk through these things and perhaps help narrow it down.