We would have preferred to work with them within reason to make it a quicker and easier process.

This may get you started quicker and enable you to learn on the journey.

A community isn't a gimmick, it's an opportunity for the right people to level up quicker than they would on their own and avoid the mistakes others in the community had to learn the hard way.

Does this strategy utilizing HELOC really work on saving money and paying off mortgages much quicker?  

It's more like any other long term holding strategy, with less out of pocket costs, quicker financing of the RE purchase and less responsibilities than a landlord has.

I am 100% writing this post assuming that the intent of the article was to pay off your home quicker and "save" interest on primary residence.

1.Finding Value: Identifying properties with strong upside potential is critical in markets like Antioch.2.Rehab Management: Staying under budget and on schedule ensures better cash flow and quicker refinancing.3.Leverage Matters: The HELOC strategy allows me to scale quickly and acquire more properties without tying up personal capital.

One of my early properties barely broke even, but after a couple of years, rent hikes and expense optimization turned it into a strong performer.For cash flow benchmarks, I usually aim for $200-$300 per unit, but your situation.. house hacking.. offers unique benefits like reduced living expenses and quicker equity buildup.

I still think developing good relationships with brokers is the best way and will get you the best results quicker than going direct to seller. 

If you can get good at networking and building relationships by establishing rapport, you'll get ahead much quicker in this niche.