I had scraped and struggled along until then and I was just exhausted from the transient nature of the “gigs” I used to support myself up until that point .

Eventually, you'll exhaust the entitlement, but if used right, you'll be sitting on multiple cash-flowing doors and some equity (not to mention a bit of REI clout) prior to coming to that point.

I’m in the middle of doing my first one now and it’s exhausting but exhilarating.

This in some studies has been shown to outperform or at worst break even with buy-and-hold investing and is WAY WAY WAY WAY less involved, gut-wrenchingly exhausting, and fraught with those inevitable bad apple tenants. 

We wanted to make sure that whatever we use of the HELOC, it is not exhausted.

Hard Money is typically more of a "last resort" when all traditional financing means have been exhausted.

All 6 processes awful, exhausting and expensive.Reason 2 - smokers attract shade while they are smoking outside, especially in apt bldgs.

=D  I am sure you are exhausted at this stage but it gets more and more amazing as time goes on!

Your the most exhausting blowhard Chris. 

If you do not already have an Umbrella policy (provides additional Liability coverage if a covered claim exhausts the limits of your Home, Auto, Dwelling/fire, ... policies) you may want to consider adding it.