In that same community, I also own an acre of land that I desire to construct a build-to-rent duplex.

I need to have a way to roughly calculate how much I might earn in a land transaction. 

What was your tax plan with your earnings from your W-2 job from the time you stopped investing in the 401k until you had the funds to purchase real estate?

You can find real estate related careers, but they will pay less making you less lendable most likely.Go to local real estate meetups every month for six months and you will meet a lot of people who kept their job, left their job, flip homes, have rentals, and you can learn from them by building relationships while you earn.

Cheaper mortgage rates can lead to increased homeownership, potentially reducing demand for rentals and making it challenging for rental property owners to fill vacancies or achieve desired rental rates.

Financial freedom isn't just about replacing your current income; it's about maintaining your desired lifestyle for the rest of your life.

For a family earning slightly higher income than median wages, driving to work to the city and living about 30 mins away with reasonably good house on a > 400 SQM land parcel was possible and totally achieveable.

Do you have desired cashflow % for the STR and are you going to outsource property management or self manage?

Another VA trying to earn a buck I see. 

You are suffering from unsatisfaction and FOMO, but keeping your W2 is the best strategy for long-term wealth because you are lendable and earning the whole time.