Would like to be able to do it without heavy machinery to compact soil before laying gravel.  

Hundreds of millions in spare cash just sitting around being eroded slowly.

Great credit and 401(k) balance but not a lot of spare cash.

I am just curious if he is correct and if you any advice to spare.

My vote, go learn to code in your spare time :)

During my spare time, I like to cold call 4+ units in the area. 

I can't thank you enough for your kimd and helpful reply.I understand exactly what you are saying.I am located in Missoula, Montana and property here is outrageous.This city is steadily growing, its a college town and there are mobs of people selling out in California and moving here.Its a sellers market for sure.PreForeclosures are very rare here.As a newbie with hardly any spare pennies after my fulltime, low paying job (I made many bad life choices in my younger years that set me up for a common, low quality life) I just dont have the funds to invest in these nifty REI systems or even in mentorships.So I have been self-educating through YouTube University, and instead of investing with money Ive been investing with time, legwork, and learning through trial and error.I cant figure out the best way to get in my local market and make a deal, much less make this a business.But I am determined, and I dont mind hard work. 

or are we talking about the guy who does an Airbnb out of his spare bedroom? 

You might consider buying spare filters, so when you go for a maintenance visit, you can just swap in a clean one and take the old one back with you to wash later.They should tilt towards the outside of the house a little bit, so the condensation drips out the back. 

The insurance company will try to determine what caused the crack ... if it was natural soil expansion/compaction, it's unlikely they'll cover it ... if it was, say, from a plumbing leak, there's a much better chance they'll pay for, at least, a part of it; however, that would then pose a different issue for you - I've seen new policies become very expensive when there are prior water damage claims on the property.