Personally, I'm not a big fan of using a primary residence to fund investments, especially on a first deal. Even with a HELOC, you're still increasing your leverage and now putting your home at risk if the deal goes sideways. That added stress can cloud decision-making, particularly when you're still learning the ropes.

I do have a HELOC, but I treat it more as a rainy day fund or short-term liquidity option — not as core capital for deals. If you do decide to go that route, make sure you're underwriting the deal with the HELOC interest and repayment terms factored in, and build in extra margin for delays or cost overruns.

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but my advice would be to treat your first deal like a training ground. Conservative leverage and keeping your risk isolated from your home can help you stay objective and sleep better at night.

That said, I know people who’ve done it successfully — just make sure the deal is strong enough that you'd be comfortable explaining it to someone who doesn’t invest. That test usually keeps things grounded.