Is there any rent control? 

the questions you are asking are not controlled by the state necessarily but both the feds and local cities. 

Lots of $ the government lost out on!

I've used them for years.https://forgetrust.com I also use Forge Trust for my self directed ROTH IRA with checkbook control. 

I would therefore have control over the property and how it is managed, even though we would all have an equity stake in it.

Apps/systems are great if you're somewhere in the middle, don't have the margin to cover the 8-10% of gross income + 1 month leasing fee, are a control freak that wants 100% visibility/control over your investments, or are a "systems" type investor who relishes operational efficiencies.

Helocs give you more control of the funds and timeline to identify it's next use. 

Don't get lost in comparing interest rates. 

I did all of this quickly as any young kid who is technologically able could, and the company controller who I was working under was impressed by my speed of completion.

Not sure if you lost me at “Won’t cash flow” or “subject to HOA”.