Think of it as making new friends with benefits – of the real estate variety.Leverage Your Cash: Use your cash for down payments and renovation costs.

@Angelo ProtoSome of the top vacation markets I hear about often are:-Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania-Catskills and upstate NY-Tennessee - Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge-Shenandoah Virginia-Blue Mountain region of Georgia-Many Florida marketsIf proximity to home are important, the top two may be of benefit to you.

Hey Eli, to play devil's advocate here, consider whether you truly want a real estate side hustle of buying properties directly and becoming a landlord, or if you just want the investment benefits of adding real estate to your portfolio (cash flow, appreciation, tax benefits). 

Your mentor has needs; try to meet them and develop a mutually beneficial relationship.A mentor can benefit your growth, but it's not as simple as one post on a forum full of strangers.

- Taxes: If I invest as an individual, would I get the tax benefits of investing directly in RE (owning a SFH for e.g.) or are the dividends taxed as ordinary income?

For the house to be vacant for almost a year, I think she must not be well or be under some kind of stress, so I feel like by coming in and offering the right kind of deal, I would be benefitting her and myself at the same time.How would you guys approach this situation?

you can do anything, there is zero benefit in doing this. a LLC is a disregarded entity for tax purposes so essentially you are renting it to yourself so its a net zero.

Make sure to compare the costs and benefits of using your HELOC versus keeping it as a reserve for unexpected expenses.Market Conditions: Research the Dallas and suburb markets to understand demand, rental rates, and appreciation potential for both 4-plexes and duplexes.

I’m hoping for a mentor with good intentions and a willingness to be involved, someone who knows they’ll benefit from my success. 

Generally, our partners start seeing results within a few months, and many continue to stay involved with us long-term due to the benefits and support they receive.Learn More:To see some of the deals we’ve done and the successes our partners have achieved, feel free to visit my BiggerPockets profile.If you have any more questions or need further details, don’t hesitate to reach out.