I think I may be better off shifting that wall to expand the dining room SF.

We would like to know from a cost perspective and communication skill set level.Thanks!

We're looking at it from two different perspectives.

Wanting to get out of my own head and get some other perspectives on my strategy.I currently own a home in the Temescal district in Oakland that has appreciated significantly over the last few years.

Bullet Points for St Petersburg:Short term rentals (anything less than a month) are technically illegal, but...Code enforcement only enforces this on a "by complaint" basis.The City can't change this law in any way (in either direction) without risking losing the ability to regulate short term rentals altogether, so...We have a thriving Air BNB "black market", but it's inherently risky and you should not base your long term cash flow numbers on this model...the smart strategy seems to be get it while you can, but be prepared to quickly shift to a long term rental strategy if you get busted. 

I would like to eventually get into larger investments or partnerships.It's been great so far seeing so many different perspectives, so can't wait to continue the learning!

Just looking for some perspective on the issue.  

I am not as concerned with the 4/10 issue, because even if we went conventionally for the first couple, we would likely shift to a portfolio lender once we were up and running.I feel like I have largely decided the HELOC is the way to go based on money saved from closing costs and interest, but considering we have worked so hard to eliminate all debt on our house over the last 7 years it is scary turning around and taking money against it. 

To be honest, I think whats more important from a lenders perspective is (1) Debt-to-income (DTI), (2) savings and reserves, (3) years of credit history. 

What I believe initiated our paradigm shift was when we consolidated our homes with a local portfolio lender, completely separating our investments form our personal life.