Loads of strangers with no motive other than being kind helped me out when I was getting started.

That is one of my biggest motivations and motor to be able to change my invested money for some freedom. 

There are lots of motivated sellers out there. 

You will not get them to show up to complete the work, you will not recover your funds and you will have to move heaven and earth to make this "right" 1-See if you can settle with the contractor2-File complaints with the BBB (assuming they are registered), file a complaint with the state attorney general3-SueI used to believe there was some sort of over arching justice in the world, but then I got into real estate and became friends with RE attorneys.

Do NOT make the rookie mistake of being motivated by a fear if missing out.

;) ;)Easy for all you gurus and coaches to say and make all sorts of claims without accountability, but if you were to be held accountable you wouldn't say these things.

My question is should I take the money I have and pay off the Heloc and then when everything is sorted out borrow the money for the building, or just keep making payments and wait it out?

Not because a motivated seller COULD possibly have a property in distress does this imply that all or even most properties in distress belong to a motivated seller.Most do not!

Which is why we see all the "real estate investors" not really making any sort of meaningful cash flow.

The articles conclusions MAY be self serving - we need to look closely  to perceive any motivations for WHY the writer is producing the article.