Similar to your small business, real estate demands working capital to promote growth and stability.The amount thats needed in your reverse is much more of a personal finance question.

Revisit your goals on a regular basis and adjust as you learn.

I went to a large, regional bank that is owned by, or at least heavily invested in by Wal Mart and they gave me a 5 year, 3.99% fixed rate heloc during a spring promotion of their's a few years back.  

It will be a short pay off, but still they want to get whatever money they can.If you want to buy this short sale, get a loan and purchase it as a regular purchase. 

But it's not a regular person looking to sell their house like the class taught, it's a frustrated land-lord. 

If it was me, so long as the tenants have been there for quite some time, they have record of regular payments, and a low tendency for trouble making, I would much rather take the paycheck than the negative cash flow  straight out of the gate. 

This work for rent sounds bit extreme, but I have definitely heard of legitimate, capable workers who is willing to take a discounted pay for 1) long term, regular job and 2) dree housing.  

But it's set up as a regular ACH processing through my bank.

Carter Melvin also organized a meetup last month among BP members interested in commercial RE but not sure if there's any intention to make that a regular thing. 

But to give you a general answer, it's using "regular" income for down payments and then "reloading" for the subsequent downpayment.