I had a conversation with my friend, a real estate agent, a few months ago that really stuck with me.

I'm interested in connecting with like minded individuals who are also passionate about real estate investing and property development. 

If the HELOC amount you're requesting is relatively low (often below $100,000), lenders might waive the full appraisal.Drive-By Appraisal : Instead of a full interior inspection, a drive-by appraisal involves the appraiser evaluating the exterior of the property only.Desktop Appraisal : This type of appraisal is conducted remotely using data and photos provided by the homeowner or real estate agents.Based on the little knowledge that I have about stuff like this it sounds like you need to connect with existing lenders in your network or find new lenders in your network that have programs aligned with your goals.

Hey Jacob congratulations on making the life changing decision to get into real estate.

Has anybody used, or have any experience with Credit Union Mortgage Association for financing real estate deals? 

I have a podcast on the local real estate market in New Orleans.

There's been so much interest in real estate investing and the success stories on podcasts and in books - most of which were achieved over the last decade - give people the real estate "bug" and they often over pay either because they don't know how to run the numbers or because they're just so anxious to get in.

Happy to chat more, although I'm more responsive and active on Instagram @james_hwangThe real estate investing world is small and the MTR operator world is even smaller.

Real Estate is one of the most illiquid asset classes and thus takes months to work its way through.

You should always vet your agent to ensure they are experienced and working hard, full-time, in the market.It's nice if you can find an agent that specializes in real estate investing, but any solid agent should work well for you.