ya i dot be very cautious of using a HELOC for down payments on long term holds.I get it for flips were you make some money and then retire the heloc.read fine print of heloc they can be frozen or called.. they are not fixed term loans.so just be aware of all aspects of using those funds for long term buys 

I had the same idea a few months back, that I would get my RE license and that it would introduce me to all people and aspects of the real estate industry so that I could start investing myself.

My network of professionals on the deal were very good at their jobs, but did not have a lot of experience in investment properties and how to best approach that aspect of the market.

One aspect of your strategy is the refinance and the market is uncertain for non QM investor focused loans are tightening their belts.

@Marci Stein One aspect to consider is all the secondary businesses that operate from RE transactions.

I wanted to do real estate full time, get educated about all aspects and provide value to my clients in guiding them through the process.

In my experience with foreclosures, one of the most difficult aspects is working with sellers.Sellers whose homes are foreclosing are challenging to work with.

Local moratoriums may include more stringent and conservative aspects (i.e.

Long distance investing will necessitate establishing a team to manage the aspects of the property.

But you may want to see if there are aspects of RE she may be interested in.