Bogleheads was the source of most of my formative personal finance education (for ~14 years), and it’s relevant because the SWR discussions there are typically in the 2-4% range.

Joseph, the best method for you would probably be the MLS or sites like realtor.com etc.

But they charge $4000 dollars for any form of mentorship or being a place of resource, which eats into my savings for this endeavor. 

I own a duplex property (I do not live on site) and I'm renting out the 2 bed/1 bath back house.

While both involve finding and properly securing a site and bringing it to full entitlement, the ground-up process includes the land piece but gets way more involved and complex to execute.The full "Monty" for ground-up development needs to include financial literacy, an explanation of metrics, and how they work.

BiggerPockets has great resources on both sides - explore and decide what's right for you!

A tidy profit, plus confidence to tackle the next project solo.On the topic of self-directed IRAs: While they’re fantastic for gaining experience and diversifying into real estate over time, they can feel restrictive if your main goal is scaling quickly.Here’s what I’d focus on:Using Equity Wisely: A HELOC or cash-out refinance could unlock funds to pursue a flip or duplex without touching your 401(k).Partnering Smartly: Your realtor friend sounds like a great resource.

I couldn't find anything too specific on the site.

A handy search bar in the upper right makes it easy to find previous discussions, blogs, podcasts, and other resources.

MF with many garages to convert to ADUs, parcel splits, full on development, coop/tic with the resources to handle financing challenges, etc.To raise money in this market as a newby will also be challenging unless you can get it from friends and family.