Check local and state regulations and what might be coming soon for building standards and regulations for a RCFE.

For owner occupied properties federal law requires lenders to verify the ability to repay by the borrower.

This means that many hospitality properties need to refinance their debt at significantly higher rates in an environment where local and regional lenders have been pulling back.In this podcast with CEO Greg Friedman of Peachtree Group, a private debt and hospitality private equity firm, he states that many hotel projects got shelved during the pandemic and that is bringing on an undersupply situation for hotel properties. 

Check in with @Joseph Chiofalo he's a FL mortgage and RE broker and can point you in the right direction for a local RE broker.

Yes you can get a HELOC on your primary residence even if its 2-4 units it depends on the bank.Try a local credit union because some banks or CU's will only do them 1-2 units, but there are ones that open HELOC's for 3-4 units too like BECU.org.

Getting into multifamily will be much easier after your first deal and your local team is established! 

The best thing I can suggest is to call around to local banks in your area (at least 3) and ask them if their bank can do this for you. 

Partnering with Seth Choate provided valuable local insights, making this an attractive and strategic investment for Partner Driven.

Partnering with Graham Lyster provided valuable local insights, making this an attractive and strategic investment for Partner Driven.

Hopefully some locals will comment with more specific information to your area.