You must have previous housing history and own a primary residence.

I chuckle these days when I have friends mention a Canadian "ghetto".The barrier to entry (housing prices) would be the biggest factor in my opinion and therefore you'd need significantly greater capital to get started compared to the US.I had done some personal research in the past regarding investing in the US as a Canadian and you could do it from both ends:Canadian using a Canadian bank to finance a US property (think retirees buying places in FL or AZCanadian using a Canadian based bank that now has a foothold in the US (ie, TD, RBC, even Scotia)Canadian using a US bank to qualify for a property - clearly more work and have to talk to the right places.I won't get into my opinions of the housing market back in Canada in general, but opportunities will present themselves at all times...I just think you'll spend a lot more time and energy having to pursue it and garner a significant amount of capital to get started.

I had checked with most of my local banks, big banks, and credit unions and they seem to all say that they only offer HELOC to primary residents.

I am also building an ADU at my residence to rent in the future but I want to start to build a portfolio of small multi-family properties.I have been reading (more than a dozen books) and attending workshops since September 2023 and am ready to invest!

With my equity I could easily get  the down payment for a rental, as well as I qualify for the VA loan, and would like to take advantage of that.I guess my question is should I focus on just one strategy, or should I just do whatever the market throws my way, whether its a rental or a flip.

Do you know the IRA Publication 523 for Sale of a Residence?

Investment Info:Single-family residence fix & flip investment in Deltona.

However, the income from rentals, some being higher due to I/O notes, allowed me to qualify for the purchase.

The hassle of it all - directly communicating with and qualifying potential buyers, constantly scheduling showings, understanding the paperwork, contracts, contingencies, and timelines.....all cause some sellers to give up on selling it themselves.

There are a ton of private money lenders who are licensed and qualified, and there are a ton of private money lenders who are scammers.