However, if my intention is to use the equity from said HELOC/Home Equity Loan as a down payment on a rental, doesn't it make more sense to take a fixed rate Home Equity Loan so I am not subject to the adjustable rates of a HELOC?

HELOCs typically have adjustable interest rates that are tied to the prime rate, while mortgages typically have a fixed rate.

I am planning to get in there with my contractors monday, to define my costs a little more thoroughly before making an adjustments to our original offer.     

The discount points are higher -- here's FNMA's Loan Level Pricing Adjustment matrix -- or you can take a higher rate if you wish. 

If you have all tenants on M2M you can quickly adjust by raising their rents when rates go up depending on your state regulations. 

I wouldn't try to do it manually, there's really no reason to.

But if you're buying retail, you're setting yourself up to go upsidedown with even the smallest of market adjustments.2: If the numbers work a flip could be a good way to make money to put into future deals.

However in terms of predicting “just how low” a downturn can go and making your adjustments now?

For example, if we sell, he won't just get the initial money back, but it will be CPI-adjusted.

Im gonna search this thread to see if anyone can make a good recommendation.brent Coombs, Thank you as well, I could not agree more, Im gonna start with one deal work it under my LLC, as I grow I will make the necessary adjustments to the business as needed.