Always leverage your strengths and talents in order to generate additional streams of income that will help you with your end game (which I assume is passive income through real estate investing).

My wife retired this year as well, at 36, but that requires additional revenue streams.

My goal is to utilize real estate investing for passive income streams and to begin working for myself as opposed to others, while providing a high quality of life for myself and future family.I am currently interested in networking, and finding both single family & multifamily buy/hold, & fix/flip opportunities throughout Arizona.

You have to stress test the property meaning if you hold 10 years and in year 6 you need to refi what does the income stream look like then?

So I'm considering this as one potential stream of income.

There are some that are currently rented out even now.There is a beautiful 3/2 6000 sq ft home that sits on a hill, and you can see it from the Highway.Also a 2/1 living quarters with a private office, is inside the barn.It does have 2 Show areas, with a judge tower and spectator seating as well.As you can see, there are quite a few streams of income for an investment property.

Is house hacking or buying a duplex or triplex for multiple income streams a viable option for me with NY prices?  

A movie theater, shopping, restaurants and town center type area is going in across the street and should be opening at the end of next year.

My rentals would pay my expenses and I can cash out of the house I have in an HOA now, and put that in index funds as another stream of income that I could tap but will just let grow unless I need it during vacancies, major renovations, etc.

If you have investors that want to earn immediate gains then go find a property to flip.Then you can continue to look for new investors geared towards wanting an income stream as opposed to a relatively shorter term gain.Finding investors who trust you is hard enough and since it appears you may have you should consider altering your investment strategy to accommodate their needs and wants.