Multi-family real estate is something I am planning on doing after I graduate college and eventually full-time. 

It really delays my entire plans.

Sounds like I've got the plan all laid out in front of me. 

Quote from @Ven Bud: After hearing to lot of bp episodes on negative cash flow, I have a question.I am currently living in my primary residence and planning to purchase an investment property, and obviously it is going to be a negative cashflow (bay area), but I am of the opinion that as long as the rent on the investment property is atleast going to be greater than my current primary residence mortgage it can still considered as positive cash flow investment.The investment property is going to be in a much better location (for office commute, bay area proximity) than my primary residence.

and i know that that there’s risk involved, so ill always be prepared for things not going according to plan. and i think starting small and gaining knowledge and experience over time is key. 

Will you use the HELOC as a short-term bridge, or plan to hold it longer?

Courtesy of the video, criteria to consider include Deal Type, Management Plan, Business Plan, Financing, Asset Class, Ownership Structure, Property Class, Location, Purchase Price, Rehab Costs, Risk Target, and ROE Targets.

Dave Van Horn is a collegue of mine and I am glad that he was able to point you in a direction that helped you feel better about your retirement planning. 

However, anything that impacts functionality like plumbing, HVAC, or safety issues should be handled before listing to avoid turning off potential renters/buyers.If you’re re planning to lease it, tenants will expect everything to be move-in ready before signing.

You could also get a line of credit for about $150k (you should be able to borrow 75% of the value.)The reason I suggest this is…1) you save $40-$60k in selling costs. 2) you have a lower blended interest rate (2/3rds at 3.25% and 1/3rd at 7 or 8% instead of the whole $500k at 7 or 8%) saving you another $1k/mo in interest. 3) you only pay interest on that $150k when you actually use it, not from day 1  Unless you hate this property, or want to buy something you can’t afford without selling, that would be my plan.