I'm also starting off my own personal investment property journey with my husband. 

Personally, I would prefer to use the HELOC approach.

I personally think they are “higher end” than anything stackable.

Don't be that person.  

I want to start smart and scale up as I learn the ropes, but I’m personally struggling to narrow down which area to focus on.If you’ve done this before, what advice would you give someone like me?

Consider doing this personally or using an LLC.

I have other HELOCs that were much easier to get both personally and professionally.

Another benefit is it is much easier to diversify into multiple markets, asset classes and operators.Just wanted to share an alternative - often active investing is the way to go, but it really depends on the person and it is important to know that there are passive ways to accomplish your financial goals.Good luck!

While each person has their own perceptions of a rough part of town, in my experiences, I do avoid them.  

Personally, I think I would stack some cash for a year or so while I did this.