I have seen some listings in these areas that may pan out, but since I am using my VA loan I really don't want to put much money into the properties.

I got a HELOC at 85% LTV and am using no more than 40k of the 118k I pulled out in equity to renovate the property.

For this hopeful transaction I am using one and I found them on Biggerpockets...so we'll see what happens.

I guess if I am using the time to do some work, they would want to clean the house and give me the key before that so they do not have to have responsibility. 

Just to clarify, I am using an FHA loan to purchase my house-hack.

Hello everybody,I am just starting in this world of real state investing, when I try to master something I tend to split the problem in smaller pieces, in this case I want to ask you about what software, websites, reports, etc. do you use to operate in the different aspects of REI:- Overall information about areas, cities and markets: I am using www.wolframalpha.com to get stuff such as economic indicators, demographic info, income stats, traffic info, etc - What do you use?

Just like those warnings on the back of amusement park ride tickets. 

The only downside I see is not being able to take advantage of the tax deductions from interest as one would with a standard mortgage (for the purposes of this discussion let's assume I am using the money for something other than real estate, therefore no tax deduction possible).With a HELOC, I calculate that I'll only lose about $750 in tax deductions per year; at that rate, it would take about ten years before the closing costs of a mortgage are eclipsed by the loss in tax deductions of a HELOC. 

I am using FHA financing and planning on living on the third floor and house hacking for about 2 years.

I am not too worried about hard money lenders as I am using private money with favorable rates.