You may want to keep it long term to help build your portfolio.

Do you keep a log of your hours?

Your best bet may be to keep focused on your current investment and move into something else once your finances are a bit more stable.

I have been all over the Yucatan and Tulum keeps calling me back. 

It also keeps the outside clean and keeps tenants from adding "yard art" to your rental. 

It’s just getting too expensive to keep going in California for myself, doesn’t make sense. 

:) As an investor, you have to have not 1 way of getting properties, not 2 ways… but more like 10 to 20 ways of getting off market homes (or better yet.. good deals). and keep in mind, that I am a realtor :) The name of the game is "options" You do want to have a great Realtor that you can bounce ideas and comps off of.

So, a HELOC would keep your current rate in place and still allow to take cash out. 

I am interested in buying a condo or house near a New England ski resort, with the plan to rent it most of the time and while keeping a few weekends open each year for personal use. 

He puts your tenant's tears on his hot dogs after he raises their rent. haha, love it mate.Believe it not, our rents are priced a bit lower than other PM's in the market.I guess that's why we keep vacancy across the book at 5% or less with only a few evictions each month if that.Thanks for the mention amigo