Obviously that was funded 100% lender had nothing to lose . those two deals alone are equal to what most make in a dozen or so deals.

Typically you can go to a max. of 80% LTV on the cash out on this loan.

I have come to believe I should have a substantial portion of my net worth invested in a Schwab Total Stock Market Index Fund (SWTSX) or Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund (VTSAX).

I'm currently in the very early stages of trying to roll an old 401k into an SDIRA and use the $22k worth of funds to get me involved in my first deal.

Part of these funds has already been ear marked for renovating our house to create an Airbnb unit, which will help the financial freedom goal, but that's not the focus of this question...

These drive-by appraisals are all dependent on the pricing of the neighborhood.Since you live there, you might be able to get the home equity loan upto 90% LTV, but even if the appraisal comes in a $450k, it would only allow you to pull out $42k or so. 

Used some of the HELOC funds to buy a SF that needed some work in which I moved into for a live & flip.

Let's say I contact multiple investor friends, and I inform them that I have the funds to potentially fund their projects.

Hey, I was toying with the idea of using a HELOC to fund a non-real estate investment, specifically buying some debt.

Ideally I know we use hard money lenders for funding and purchasing rehabs.