I am not familiar with how HELOCs work but they declined me saying my DTI is too high.  

To raise capital, focus on building a strong investment thesis, leveraging your track record, and networking with high-net-worth investors or experienced GPs.

Prices remain relatively low, but appreciation may be slower.Monroe: A mix of cash flow and appreciation potential, Monroe has become a popular choice for investors, especially in areas where new developments are popping up.Appreciation-Focused NeighborhoodsBallantyne: A well-established area with high demand, Ballantyne offers excellent long-term appreciation potential, though cash flow opportunities may be limited.South End: A booming urban hub with a vibrant retail and restaurant scene.

Hey Rebecca, I'm a broker and investor up in Sacramento and manage about 100 investment properties (STR and LTR).Many of my clients are high W2 earners seeking "bonus depreciation" to offset tax liability by investing in STR.

Quote from @Briley Roe:  yes those fees are very high as you have a broker fee and other fees for a loan little over $100k at 6+ points. 

I suspect there's lots of inventory, particularly for new folks coming into the area that find the real estate prices are much better than where they came from.Do you have a type of house you like to target?

If you do decide to start flipping homes- as a new investor you can either self finance with all cash, or you can contact a commercial lender like myself and expect terms to be 75-80% of the purchase price with 100% of the rehab financed through a draw.

that we’ve learned in our 24 years, managing almost 700 doors across the Metro Detroit area, including almost 100 S8 leases:Class A Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, 3-5 years for positive cashflow, but you get highest relative rent & value appreciation.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% the more recent norm.Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 680+ (roughly 5% probability of default), zero evictions in last 7 years.Class B Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, decent amount of relative rent & value appreciation.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% should be applied only if proper research done to support.Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 620-680 (around 10% probability of default), some blemishes, but should have no evictions in last 5 yearsClass C Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, high cashflow and at the lower end of relative rent & value appreciation.

that we’ve learned in our 24 years, managing almost 700 doors across the Metro Detroit area, including almost 100 S8 leases:Class A Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, 3-5 years for positive cashflow, but you get highest relative rent & value appreciation.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% the more recent norm.Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 680+ (roughly 5% probability of default), zero evictions in last 7 years.Class B Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, decent amount of relative rent & value appreciation.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% should be applied only if proper research done to support.Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 620-680 (around 10% probability of default), some blemishes, but should have no evictions in last 5 yearsClass C Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, high cashflow and at the lower end of relative rent & value appreciation.

BiggerPockets also has a calculator to analyze deals, and I highly recommend you start this as soon as possible, even if you are not ready to buy.