I would not partner with someone to build, too much liability if the house sinks or gas blows...

We hired a plumber (that we have used for years) to fix a tub spout leak and toilet repair.

@Bryson WilliamsTypically you would have your tenants pay their own utilities since you wouldn't want to cover someone's high water or electricity/gas bills but some cities will put a lien on your property if certain utilities aren't paid.

You could go oil/gas rights. 

Shelter and gas prices were more than half the monthly increase for all items measured in the CPI for March.Of note, recently you may have read quite a lot about the tremendous apartment unit growth we are in the midst of (as I have written about).

The issues seem to be Baltimore Gas and Electric takes forever to do an inspection - 3 months sometimes. 

Area has mix of older retail strips, motels, banks, gas stations, some QSR, a few independent restaurants, services (barber shops, etc.), and retail, warehouses, factories, and a business incubator for entrepreneurs. 

You want to investigate the full range of possible 1031 options (residential, commercial, syndicated, active, passive, oil/gas/solar, etc.) if you're hunting for income.  

A few more passive, but riskier, ways to offset w2 income are oil and gas investing and ATM investing which have funds. 

They just left a homeowner high and dry, when a personal residence flooded due to a pipe quietly leaking for months!