I do own a home however with rising interest rates I really do not want to go the heloc route. 

Boat loads of networking is your best route here 

A quick overview ,So my wife and I have our own property fully paid off.  We own a duplex that we put $150,000 down 3 years ago using a HELOC that we still have access to on our primary residence that is now paid off....

Happy to talk further about either route.

Because new cars eat wealth and drop in value 'like a rock', I would never recommend going that route, especially for 'tax benefits'.   

@Jeremy HunterYeah, I’m not interested in going that route to be a ccim.

If you lack experience, another route is to partner with someone that has experience and balance sheet.  

Also if you do take that route and do a little digging try and look for the properties that have closed recently because those properties should give the best guide for rehabbing your property and how much you should spend!

I’ve now heard about umbrella insurance as a suggestion from several people, so I think I’m feeling good about going that route, at least for now.As you can imagine, I have a ton to learn as a first-time real estate investor, but the best way I’ll do that is when I acquire my first property and get down and dirty in it.

If you are a first time buyer and can qualify for an FHA, it may be your best route to acquire your first multi.