If you can identify long term rentals that meet certain investment objectives that you think you can sell to an investor for a cut, then that is certainly one path.Our company does this all the time by finding the deals, locking them up, and pairing our equity with investor equity and or debt to accomplish the deal. 

However, we have since decided that it may make more sense to pair with an investor who will front the cash to rehab the units, separate the 4 of them, and sell them as townhomes.

HELOC has been main plan paired with possibly a seasoned investor, or just somebody with money and no time which seems to be the people I surround myself with.

The plan is to deploy several hundred thousand in capitol (from a post tax brokerage account) split up across 5 investments or so to start for the sake of both Diversity and possible Passive pairing to help with taxes (Ex one may give more losses and other more passive income and thus offset). 

Often this will be paired with a pitch to buy something.

Quote from @Vladimir Benoit: @Lawrence Briggs Awesome!

It leaves me questioning their competence as a real estate professional, as if they're scared to "go up against" another broker despite my repeated reassurance that I'm looking to COLLABORATE with them to accomplish our mutually aligned objectives of pairing a willing seller with a well-qualified buyer.

(At the time I did a pair of 80% for a downpayment on a new mortgage.)

Such as the person bitten may be able to get a new pair of jeans because the dog tore them when biting.  

Our corporate tax rate paired with our university system, and population growth are drawing big businesses to NC.