I personally like doing a HELOC if I can (and I have been able to) Here is why:-Cash out (yes you can repeatedly use the money if you keep rolling it into other properties that you also cash out) you increase your mortgage payment, which leaves your margin of error thinner.

Even if it's not illegal, it may create bad blood when the tenants inevitably talk and realize they're paying different rent.

Gold doesn't pay rent ... it just sits there and looks pretty, but if you use Goldmoney they charge you a fee and you don't even get to see it look pretty :) If you want gold to pay you, you could buy shares of GLD and write deep OTM covered calls off of it to collect option premium ... in a panic, the price skyrockets, your shares get called away, and you have cash in hand to rock and roll and invest while there's blood in the streets.

Love flipping and it's part of my blood but I am very interested in moving into multi family and possibly other commercial properties.

Many, many in this arena are nothing more than advance fee scam artists and/or identity theft phishing enterprises.Respectfully,Charlie, it comes security and exchange and finance laws of "private" money dealings, exemptions from trade practices between parties that have had prior business dealings, that are known to each other, where they may be related by blood or marriage, where the source of funds is from their own assets and where such lender is not in the business of lending. 

On average my account was gaining 3% per year, though I have taken a blood bath through the first part of the year.

I am all about networking with other RE professionals and REI's, but I am not comfortable not having control of the situation when it is my blood, sweat, tears, and CASH on the line.So, have I missed something?

Once it gets into your blood, it's all you'll want to do! 

Scottish in my blood somewhere distant past.

I put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into that house but didn't get the upgrades into it that I wanted.