This is pretty low hanging fruit: If you do not already own real estate (personal occupancy) I would start by purchasing a SFH or 1-4 unit using a conventional mortgage:1.

I do know I have built a strong relationship with him over the years and in many ways it’s starting to bear extra fruit!

This real estate investing is not a race its a journey and it will take time to see any fruits of your labor.

That is where I met some of my most fruitful partners, contractors, mentors, and lenders... at these very meetups.

But asking experienced people to set up an interview with you is unlikely to bear fruit.

My thoughts from the little I know about the raw numbers however:1) You have no reason to not raise the rent at least a small amount to compensate for the extra cost of ownership the past few years.

It's quite common for lenders to use raw land as collateral for new construction loans, especially if the land is owned free and clear (which a lot is).

However, these properties won't be low hanging fruit. 

Section 8 turnkey providers are clutch in these new and uncertain times to any investor looking for positive cash flow and high fruitful returns.

I'm interested in purchasing raw land (or close to raw) to scale up as cash flow permits.