We try to set people up for success day 1, but often they don't listen.You're right, both about me thinking about HELOCs and not 2nds and the rational for the protection of the homestead. 

It ties into your great grandfather’s troubles during the 1932 depression; your grand parents ability to purchase a home in 1953 for $100 down with a VA loan, and your own psychological well being at having to have a percentage of your income going to pay debt each month.However, unless debt is so debilitating to you that it keeps you up at night and inhibits your ability to make rational decisions, the decision to pay off debt early is merely a function of numbers.  

It connects everything to your own bank accounts and is basically the middle man for setting up payments, leases, and other types of payments.

I'd be careful - this kind of thing can put you at risk if you are wrong.A more effective way to do this that might contribute value to the world in some way would be to put together a reasonable, rational, and professional post, asking for feedback, and inviting the person you are accusing or highlighting of wrongdoing to respond. 

So I don't always need or want the middleman. 

When you use a Big bank you avoid having to pay the extra "middleman" fees and points. 

With this you can target areas and cut out the middleman.

So they now own a house that is rented and the rent covers the mortgage payment by a ration of 1.25:1 or so and they have 5k extra in their pockets and their Heloc money, which they only needed 75k - 80k of - so 100k HELOC should be plenty - was enough. to get through the lifecycle.Do not let them drain their equity from primary and just sink it into a project. 

BiggerPockets needs to aspire to perfection in every single piece of content reflecting a “rational optimism” about real estate investing - we believe in it’s power, and fear near-term volatility. 

Lender is the "middleman" who has to charge you points to meet their loan officer compensation plan.