I’ve always been accustomed to putting 20% down, getting a HELOC, or using equity, as leverage, to borrow against.

Always continue your education and keep current on what's going on in your area or your subject area, or both. 

@Chandler Scottyou dont need to buy local using Roofstock. i suggest going to a local real estate investors meetup and getting educated on the local area first. hope some local connections will  lead you to a successful real estate investments.

@Dan HandfordHi DanI tell investors we are a vertically integrated real estate company that contains property management, syndication, an education company and a soon to be brokerage company.

Get educated now and start looking around December.

I live in Brooklyn and properties in the area are expensive, I don't want to leverage myself more than 125K for my first buy - even with a partner. 

No, I won't say who or where because I don't want people going back to my sources and saying that their conversation was overheard and some guy posted it on-line.The REAL reason to get educated about REI? 

Seriously, get educated quick.

It will also go towards your further required education as a licensee 

I visited Oregon's list of pre-license educators and there is a long list. https://www.oregon.gov/CCB/licensing/Pages/list-pr...