Point noted about not being able to underwrite without seeing things in person.

Personal guarantees are EXTREMELY common.

I am still personally buying rentals but I am not expecting much in the way of cash flow at the moment.

I've also met him in person and I found him to be knowledgeable and genuine.

The property is insured on your behalf, personally. 

Raising your credit score will get you far better rates personally as well as with private lenders for your LLC. 

Would a HELOC or home equity loan on my personal home be a good idea to fund this?  

I personally own a property in Windsor Hills Resort, right next door to Disney World, and we absolutely love it.

So, things change a bit.If it is his personal home, there are more restrictions.For an investment property, if you take over his financing, read through the deed of trust (mortgage) and see how they handle transfer of ownership.

I have read all of the "trends" and statistics but now I am Looking for feedback on personal experience in the Akron market.I appreciate it!