I am familiar with the that strategy, but it’s not something we want to do at this stage in our lives.

This is a win-win for both parties:The buyer will be able to buy at a price below market and below the developer price.

I think building out a strategy and thinking about what you want to do moving forward is a great starting point because it doesn't seem like you have a shortage of options.From leveraging your existing HELOCs, opening a new one, or fully refinancing your property that is paid off, it feels like the biggest concern I would have for you would be 'paralysis by analysis'. 

Be wary of overly creative write-off strategies, as the IRS isn't easily fooled, risking audits and hefty penalties.

The property is valued at $3,000,000 but is under contract for $2,500,000, providing instant equity of $500,000 upon closing.I am actively exploring ways to quickly secure the required $300,000 and am considering various strategies, including negotiating with lenders or partnering with an investor.

If this is something you want to know more about you can pick it up here. https://store.biggerpockets.com/products/lend-to-liveI’m always happy to connect and talk strategy if this is something that resonates with you.

We've actually pivoted our strategy for these reasons to find deals in KC that are closer to new-build quality but still have some margin for rent growth

I've tried every real estate strategy and they all work well, but systems need to be implemented in order for them to function with less headache. 

One of the biggest challenges that many have in acquiring deals is finding off market properties.Like to hear the opinions of people on here what are their strategies?

Knowing where you're at in the journey allows you to switch products at different stages (IE at 4 properties, or when you get to 5, or 10, or 15+ and 20+ because pricing/terms change as you progress).I think the local banks and credit unions service another gap as their rates typically tend to be better but there are cons as well such as balloon loan features that require a refi/exit/sale at the end of 5-15 years.Depending on your strategy and outlook weaving different products can help solve your gaps in your strategy going forward.For instance, for me I didnt want a fixed term cash out commercial note so I just did a blanket commercial line across multiple APN# parcels because, we never know when a deal will come up and sometimes having interest charges with no deal doesnt make sense as the funds burn a hole in the pocket so to speak.As soon as I find a property suitable for a project I may use the lines to fund the project with an eventual commercial refinance out when it hits completion in order to pay back down the lines (reload for the next project).