I believe I’ll be able to obtain a HELOC plus I have a little bit of cash squirreled away.Question is, do I buy a place outright in cash that needs a moderate amount of work in an area that is to some, up and coming, but to others is not very nice OR do I put a 20% down payment on a nicer MFH with more units and put some sweat equity in (I’m really handy)Minus all of the nuances of investing, my concern mainly lies with, am I setting the bar too low by playing it safe by not getting a mortgage on a place?

If you have any capacity with a HELOC or can collateralize a personal LOC with other assets (investment accounts, etc.) those could be options, but ultimately hard money may be the best path to fill that gap and give you some time to stabilize. 

I can come up with the 20% down on the asking price of $369,000 by tapping into a HELOC we have, though id love to get by with less than 20% down. my wife and I are independent contractors and the traditional banks put us through the ringer when it comes to traditional financing...and I am unsure we could qualify for the traditional loan route because of this.

Finally, if you have 3 properties or less including your primary, you could get a HELOC from Pen Fed @ 80%LTV on this property, 12 year draw at variable prime + 1%.

...preferably a stated income scenario but of course willing to explore options available with a solid lender with great rates. Thank you in advance!

@Thayer HoodThey could pull equity from their home and do a HELOC. 

We have a HELOC secured!

How can I best use my 50K HELOC?

Have you considered getting a HELOC?

I have a $100k HELOC ready to roll....best advice?