I hear a lot of speculation about why it won't work or wouldn't be as beneficial, but does anyone in the community have personal experience with a HELOC deal which didn't pan out?

@Claudia Ho i haven’t used one yet but I’m hoping to use BB&T in September, I use them for a heloc earlier this year and they did a 85% ltv @ 3.99 15 year arm

For your market, I would perhaps suggest waiting a little bit to see how things pan out. 

i.e. a rust spot on the inside wall of the dishwasher, where someone must have washed a frying pan or something and let it sit against the side.  

Read "Deals on Wheels" or Tin Can Alley" by Lonnie Scruggs 

In one case, I had a 30 year old shower taken out, when the old pan uderneath leaked, and with the closet behind it, combined and built a laundry room.

There is a private company trying to establish a water taxi from Renton to SLU in Seattle, which could be a really interesting opportunity to attract Amazon employee renters if it pans out. 

Thanks @Ned Carey  I agree I have made some assumptions that may or may not pan out. 

Will be entertaining to watch these guys get cleaned out / start jumping off bridges when rates rise on their max leverage IO loans, pref investors bail, and their models' 3.75% exit caps don't pan out. 

Tenant T in the shopping mall is a sole proprietor and signs a lease with property manager PM.