It's scary, but making moves is what will separate you from all the other "new investors" that have post after post of "how to get started/find a deal/get financing/whatever early stage step" and then disappear off the message boards first.Remember too that your first 5 are tough and the returns make you wonder if the effort is worth it at the time.

Just because your mortgage disappeared doesn't mean paying higher interest to your HELOC made it happen, just like the suet disappearing in my yard doesn't mean Bigfoot ate it.