In fact, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), over the past five years, home prices nationwide have risen by 57.4% (see map below):This appreciation means your house is likely worth much more now than when you first bought it.2.

However, make sure you have reserves and know the condition of the property in case you have unexpected or initial expenses. 

I'm going to reiterate what's already been mentioned above, but I'm going to actually give you examples of why it's relevant to you to find a U.S. tax professional.1 - You're going to need to file U.S. taxes once you have property down here, there's federal filings, state filings, and sometimes local filings too2 - Tons of tax treaties between the U.S. and Canada that are easy to miss and can cost you a lot of money (important one with rentals - effectively connected income - if the professional you talk to doesn't know what this is, run away)3 - The amount of days you spend in the U.S. needs to be tracked and if you go over a threshold, all of your worldwide income could be taxable by the U.S.4 - Selling real property means up to 15% of your sales proceeds might not be available to you for years (FIRPTA)5 - Lots of nuance at the state and local levels, which both want to take as much money from you as possibleMain takeaway here is that you should find a U.S. based tax person.

.- So, you may want to consider locking in an interest rate via a 2nd mortgage.Do you have reserves for unexpected expenses?

Penalties of these Federal charges may include:30 years in prisonUp to $1 million in finesIt's a Federal crime.I'm not currently at foreclosure, but am recently out of state starting grad school, no income, and home needs repairs that I simply do not have the money to make.

I'll add a few more things that can have a huge financial impact: required reserves, LTC (loan to cost), application or other upfront fees, and prepayment penalties.As a fellow flipper, I think it's important to have reserves, but they shouldn't be required as part of your funding.

They fight Federal attempts to remove old wood by suing.

The down fall is a Heloc can "Never" be used as an asset or for PITI reserves required when buying a new Primary or investment property.A heloc can also cause major issues with credit and one slight hiccup or missed payment the bank or lender who is holding the Heloc can close or reduce your line of credit.

I'd personally never take capital that I am paid to manage without committing my full-time effort to the situation and putting a majority (I reserve the right in the future to make this 1/3rd of my position) of my wealth into the situation. 

Any changes in federal spending could influence the job market and, subsequently, the real estate market.4.