Currently, I'm paying a tiny bit extra on each mortgage.

There are opportunities to house hack just outside of the city or in the Bronx, where you can still find affordable (relatively speaking) housing - jsut with a bit of an extra commute.Thanks for the tip on calling banks and credit unions - will do this.

In fact, from the investors, I spoke to here have to top up their rental properties with extra money each week and solely relying on appreciation. 

Only problem with that though is I have no other extra vehicle so I would have to use my personal savings that I plan on putting towards my next deal to get a vehicle and that would wipe out all of my capital.My plan is to put 20% down on my next deal so the capital is important to me.

I would rather take a nap than have an extra few hundred in cf a rough area may or may not provide. 

Or as long as I am open and truthful with everyone involved, I'll be alright?

@Danny Webber thank you I appreciate the truth and if I need to take more time building my cash pile to have more skin in the game by maybe wholesaling or just working than that's fine.

Hey there My 5cents , just pay more every month, it’s the simplest way ,paying a 30yr in 5y just means your paying all the principle (as extra payments) in a short amount of time , I would suggest not using a heloc to do so just make extra payments as much as you can reasonably afford and you’ll be fine,  hope this helps

If the ARV is actually higher than the 1% rule then it is not bad to have that extra equity, but the more that is borrowed against the harder it could be if the market softens. 

It may sound nice to pay a 5% management fee but the extra fees can add up to be more than the other company that charges 10% with no add-on fees.