I could refinance / home-equity loan to pull the equity out for another RE investment but I am trying to use this an an opportunity to learn how to work the numbers of creative financing to be able to do other deals.What I am trying to determine is if it makes more sense to go with a lease-option buyer in order to continue to have some residual monthly income but free up the equity in the property so that I have capital to seed additional RE investments. 

I would plant the seed with the seller that just in case this runs a week or so over that they are cool with it but first talk with your mortgage professional and get their opinion before you start a panic.

Would like to hear others' experience with using networking groups to find funding for seed capital for my investment business.

Let's assume hypothetically your seed capital is the same for both. 

Lending or the money business is open to many opportunities, you can joint venture, go in partnership, loan the money, fund inventory or provide seed money if your heart is healthy.

You might try flipping one of your new purchases to get more seed money other purchases. 

We help start up companies find seed money to grow.

If it makes you cringe to see people aspiring to learn and open or simply fund through seed money businesses that will promote healthy eating as opposed to leasing out the store to legal marijuana tenants under the guise of selling herbs to the community then you simply have to ignore such posts.

Hello,I'm looking at opening up a HELOC on my primary residence to use as seed money to start investing.

These will allow you to have a value add play with the ability to minimize the amount of seed capital stuck in a property (or even a quick exit with lease options).