Much of our value came in tackling other people’s problems, specifically large, unwieldy renovations.

Because the HELOC is now in 1st position (not 2nd behind a mortgage), so they have the full value of the home as collateral if you default. 

Seller Financing: This one's a bit of a long shot, but if the seller's keen to move quickly, they might just finance the deal for you.And here's a crucial strategy to add to your arsenal: aim to purchase the properties at least 15% below market value.

https://www.wbaltv.com/article/baltimore-city-selling-vacant...https://www.wbaltv.com/article/baltimore-city-selling-vacant...These are suckers bets in the vast majority of cases the cost to renovate exceeds the value of the property, that’s why no one wants them and the city has to sell them for $1

That being said, there are some amazing professionals that bring a great deal of value and really protect their clients...and save/make them $$$.

I like approaching investors or realtors with a property in hand to provide value right away, and even if that one in particular doesn't work with them, they will most likely want to be kept in the loop for the next one.

I  am looking for positive cash flow with this investment,  locations with a propensity to increase in value & friendly landlord laws. 

Observation 1:  It appears that properties are selling fast, and regularly above market value.   

Value Add, Yield, BRRRR, STR, LTR...Every market has something to offer if you look. 

I would start with something more like a light value-add so you can filter out any bad contractors, get a feel for investing OOS, and lay out a solid network as your foundation.