I have the capital to invest, but I just need a solid mentor and path.

Since you've lived in the property for >2 years, your capital gains are tax free when you sell. 

So things that are a red flag for me may be fine for someone more aggressive.1) Portfolio matching: (takes 30 seconds per deal)a) Have an educated opinion on where you think we are in the real estate cycles (financial and physical market cycles)b) Then only then pick the strategies, capital stack, and specialized asset subclasses that make sense for that opinion.

We'll keep the property in the family and use it as a rental, with capital improvements along the way.

Now I wouldn't suggest that with the amount of capital you put into it.

Our biggest hurdle now, is capital/financing.

1: why would you wait to repair and get rented unless you don't have enough capital?

Hi there,I am selling a rental property (H1) and would like to avoid paying capital gains.

In either case, you want to pay off the HELOC as quickly as possible to secure your equity in the property and recycle the capital.

However...Your 2018 returns show $40k in "depreciation," representing capital expenses that the IRS says you can depreciate over several years.