If I were in your shoes I would absolutely use a HELOC to invest.

Americans who worked for years to provide for their family and build this nation rely on these payments to live their last days in relative comforts.

Any advice or opinions on what you might do in our shoes would be much appreciated!

This is extremely important and brings me to another point, you have to be comfortable with your lender.

Put yourself in the shoes of a credit desk manager at a mortgage bank.

But with uncertainty, I think cash is probably the best answer for right now.I’m also in the middle of some purchases but they are low end inexpensive properties in areas that I am well familiar with so I am pretty comfortable with closing on those purchases.

Once you are comfortable with the business and the process you can definitely make offers and put properties under contract right now just make sure you absolutely know what your doing and to talk with the lenders and your attorney so you can anticipate any roadblocks, delays and special provisions you need to include in your contract right now.

Just have to find where you are comfortable investing.

Not sure what everyone's else thoughts are but if they're comfortable with the reports, and see the property as a value buy, aren't' they the ones that are really taking the risk?

You will be working with them a lot so you will want to feel comfortable openly communicating with them and foresee yourself building a great working relationship with them.