Are they abiding by the lease terms, maintaining the rental, paying rent on time, etc?

When they see a long list of things wrong with a house it puts them on edge, but I think we all know most are not really that bad.

Could a short-term private loan with the LLC be a better route to look?

We will be doing a short term rental on the top unit (3bed/2bath) while living in the bottom unit (3bed/1bath).

My previous boss and mentor had two studio apartments that were sitting vacant for a long time.

Make sure it explicitly explains the process for termination if you are unhappy with their services, especially if they violate the terms of your agreement.3.

HELOCs generally are not so well suited for long-term debt as a mortgage.

It would be a long term rental.

Could anyone provide recommendations on the most effective strategy for expanding my real estate portfolio?

It sounds like you're saying it could effectively be offset by that.**= Again, confirm with your CPA what your specific bill would be.But, for rough math / estimation's sake, it sounds like a "probably" - is that a fair takeaway?