Why would I refinance and pay around $15k in costs just so that I can get a HELOC with them.

If you're not currently listening to books educating yourself, I'd start today.A few I'd highly recommend...Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat - The BRRRR Rental Property Investment Strategy Made SimpleFLIP - How to Find, Fix, and Sell Houses for ProfitThe Book on Flipping Houses How to Buy, Rehab, and Resell Residential PropertiesThis book is not currently available on Audible but a must readThe Book on Estimating Rehab Costs - J Scott

Can try to reposition to Class B, but neighborhood may impede these efforts.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, but 15-20% should be used to also cover nonpayment, eviction costs & damages.Tenant Pool: majority will have FICO scores of 560-620, many blemishes, but should have no evictions in last 2 years.

It's hard for the PM to make their costs if they can't charge half the first month's rent, and charging half of the first month's rent won't work for the tenant landlord if each rental is only 3 months long.

An application, approval/denial letter, lease, checklist, termination and security deposit notice, will cost many thousands of dollars from a lawyer if he drafts it from scratch for you and, for example, if he is not located in Cincinnati he probably will not be familiar with the ordinance requiring deposit alternatives or providing tenants copies of the ordinances and statutes the City requires. 

Early on, I think people should be more conservative and establish a base (HYSA) and then regular (weekly or monthly) automated investments in low cost index funds. 

The rate buydown is simply a part of your closing costs, so if you work a 2% seller concession into your contract and want to consider that the 'seller-paid buydown' then that's up to you.o Rate floor: You are going to eventually hit a rate floor with any loan program, or a point where you cannot buy the rate down any further.

After renovations, refinancing enables you to pull out equity to cover costs and reinvest.

My guess is the S Corp hasn't been kept current...Get a copy of the Trust/will/ whatever you can.These problems can cost a fortune. 

Looking for some advice if this seems normal for closing costs on this piece of Land my wife and I are trying to buy.