It may make sense to save a bit more and invest from a position of power.Keep in mind most helocs are adjustable.

The only situation that I think it would make sense for you to start investing right now would be if you are not investing the full $200,000 and are looking to take some money off the board and put it into a safer investment.

That makes a lot of sense. 

Finally I came to my senses and served them a 'Notice to pay rent or vacate by the 10th of January' after which I plan to file an eviction.

I'd hate for a temporary dip in the quality of the tenant pool to be giving my landlord "spidey sense" false alarms on account of taking an extra month or two to fill a unit.

Hope that makes sense.

Property management....it just make business sense as a leverage point for efficiency of your time. 

The issue is, like many others pointed out, that the numbers just don’t make sense.

Every investor has their own path, and hearing different perspectives will only enrich your journey.Challenges in Real Estate Investing:Finding deals: In competitive markets, it can be tough to find good deals that make sense financially.Capital and financing: Finding funding, especially as a new investor, can sometimes be challenging.Dealing with tenants: Managing rental properties and dealing with tenants can be tricky, especially with issues like late rent or property damage.Market risk: Real estate markets fluctuate, and external factors (like economic shifts or local development projects) can impact property values.I’d be happy to continue the conversation if you want to dive deeper into any of these topics!

Focusing on equity growth makes a lot of sense if you're in a position to take advantage of those opportunities.