Why not stay in your lane, versus learning a new RE product? 

The entry prices here were prohibitively expensive - not necessarily worse, just like trying to play the $100 blackjack table versus the $10 buy-in.

Nevertheless, sales are up 44.6% versus a year ago.

Buying a duplex with 5% versus 15% or fourplex with 5% vs 20% is a huge jump in down payment price so it kind of shocked me.

For example, there could be lower origination fees for HELOC and might not require title work versus a Cash Out Refinance.

Estimate ~10k to do this versus $100 additional rent. 

You can always pay off this amount and when you do payments stop versus the REFI, where the increased payments continue for the next 30 years.

I finished a rehab in March, and some of my quotes for work today are nearing double what I paid 4 or 5 months ago, which was effectively double what I paid for work at the beginning of COVID.Clearly, labor costs are rising across the board, but my friends that work at a large enough scale at least have salaried tradesman on their payroll, so it is a little easier to control that cost, versus subbing everything.

We've been doing this a long time and yes, you can put in your lease that tenants are required to steam clean and can even state that it has to be a company (versus renting a steam cleaner from home depot/walmart).

Since it is your first deal, why the emphasis on speed versus insuring doing it correctly.