How best to do that? 

Best of luck on your journey—excited to see you crush it! 

Are investors finding it easier or harder to refinance with current rates?

Typically, the adjustments I see on appraisals for basements are more flat rate adjustments. 10k is usually the number I've seen.What stinks is that there are a couple of model types that have below grade space where the builder, I'm sure, was trying to lower the taxes by having it below grade so the county wouldn't count that space in the assessment.

We are at the feasibility stage and need help determining the best way forward for the land we have in Maricopa, Arizona.

Also, you could consider buying something with "hard money"; this comes at a higher interest rate, but you might be able to get into a property and either flip it or refinance it.

The rates are great, but you definitely have to work with someone that knows what they are doing...

What are the best courses of action here?

When you do that, you can get better pricing and leaves less room for error.The best advice is to push forward as quick as possible, fail forward, and always continue to introspect on what you would do differently and then ACTUALLY go back and implement that change (easier to say than do).

Gifting equity in a house may be more trouble than it is worth if you are not near the life-time exclusion1) Potentially having to get the property appraised everytime an equity is gifted2) Having a title company update the title every time3) Exemption of the gift tax return is normally for cash gifts below the annual gift tax exclusion, you may still need to file if you gift non-cash4) If there is partial ownership over several years, having to properly pro-rate certain items such as real estate taxes, mortgage interest and rental income if the property is a rentalBest of luck