I'm a very analytical person who won't start a new venture without first gaining a solid understanding, establishing the right framework and connections, and ensuring that I'm securing a great deal.

As Sean Wagner mentioned, the city of Chicago has adopted their own regulations on charging what's commonly referred to as a "security deposit" you need to do it another way. 

Consider all the things that could go wrong and see if the lease addresses them: unauthorized pets or tenants, early termination, security deposit, lease violations, late rent, eviction, lawn maintenance, parking, etc.5.

And I STILL have a ways to go to get my first social security check at 62.  ;-)  I have 8 SFR, all in A- to A areas.  

From screening to security deposits to eviction, recent laws create many ways for owners to trip and fall.And now Multnomah County has prevented landlords from evicting delinquent tenants.

With your strong credit score, high income, and solid investment portfolio, you are in a great position to secure financing for an investment property in the U.S., and as they've mentioned above DSCR is something you might want to look at.

Quote from @Stetson Oates: The vast majority of disputes are over security deposits and the most a landlord could lose is 3x the deposit amount.Slip-and-fall or other major lawsuits almost never happen.

Hi Patrick,I am looking to identify hard money lenders and private money lenders, as well as seeking advice on how to begin funding the first few deals we take on (or if we should even use outside capital initially) My personal credit has been a 15 year battle (due to 2 divorces, multiple identity theft incidents, and most recently a breach of contract dispute with a creditor (they want me to keep paying them but not provide agreed upon services).

That's more like a typical security deposit to rent an apartment, lol. 

The premise proclaimed at the start of this thread is simply not supported by mathematics with the exception of the specific case where the interest rate on the HELoC/secure LoC is sufficiently lower than the rate being paid on the mortgage.