There is a ton of fix and flip going on in Brooklyn and I am trying to work my confidence towards that after my first project at a lower price point around 300K somewhere (CT seems like my only option). 

I found Stessa and Digb to be the best options for organizing real estate portfolio and taxes, cheaper, and real estate focused.   

Would this be better to try and go through a local bank or is there good options for private money or other banks that specialize in this?

@Robert StephensonIt’s great that you’ve built solid equity in your current rental property— Here are a few options to consider:Cash-Out Refinance: You can refinance your rental property and pull out some of the equity to use as a down payment for another property.

I also worked with a great lender who helped navigate financing options, including my HELOC, to make the deal happen.

Your mentor’s advice about starting with a rental property is solid, and a duplex could be a great option for house hacking.

You typically want to include those utilities because if unpaid they become liens against your property.

The first option will give you continuous headaches with a certain likelihood that the behavior may get worse (not paying at all and more damage).

There are certainly options to cover mortgage and expenses but even those can be pretty far and few between.

If they do, your best bet is a local community bank that funds these types of properties.Another option is a private lender but that money will be pretty expensive, as mentioned 10%  +