Just another alternative :)

@Gaby PerezPeople always tell me I’m a natural networker and I usually think to myself something about how I’m not sure if that’s true, I wonder if they are just being nice, etc.

Naturally, you want to hire #1s as much as possible, and sometimes you will get one of them that their vision of their life coincides with what you are trying to do, but for the most part you need to plan on getting #1s and replacing them on a regular basis.After three decades of managing employees I am a big fan of the contract setup.

Are there other alternatives besides heloc and cash out refi?

    Hello Bigger Pockets, im Nigel and im an agent in norcal.Im looking for areas in northern california that would be most worthy of searching for investment opportunities for clients, naturally this site came to mind as its been a great resource for me in the past.Id like to hear what other agents in the area are seeing and doing with regards to investment properties right now.

They need to understand SEC, think like a property inspector, and be able to evaluate leases and tenants like a commercial broker.This is a very natural time in the market for you to be making this move. 

You may be better off waiting for some natural appreciation unless you think you can get a much higher appraisal or much lower rate.

Save yourself the extra costs of doing the related tax forms and stuff for the S CorpHere’s another one: depending on the nature of the income of your side business, I think you can still have the solo 401k as a sole proprietor.

I believe as LA gets more and more pricey, 3+ bedrooms will become the alternative to houses.You could go the FHA 203k route but I do believe it will be difficult to find a house under $500K. 

If your options are thin for friends and family private money partners it would be worth your time to consider alternative strategies.