Despite all of the noise and volatility in the stock market, positive job growth numbers came out yesterday which show the country is still creating jobs, trade talks are calming and inflation is under control. 

I am assuming as there was a fire with  more than 3 dedicated trades  warranting a general contractor in the eyes of your insurance company. 

If you do not have capital nor experience, but sufficient ambition, a path may be to find a successful investor in your area and see if you can trade labour/skills for the opportunity to be an understudy.

It's really just a trade off between risk and return (no risk no reward) so it boil downs to what you are comfortable with. 

You may need 3 trades to do it.

So I'm an engineer by trade(27 y/o), and I've always been one to chase the money.

Property that qualifies is property that has been purchased with the intent of holding for productive use in business, for trade, or for investment. 

A lot of people with money want to get involved in real estate investing but have no clue how to estimate rehab costs and have 0 contacts in the various trades needed to do a rehab.

When an IRA receives income from a trade or business on a regular or repeated basis, it can become subject to a tax known as UBIT which is meant to level the playing field and protect tax-paying businesses from unfair competition. 

If they are, they will be much more likely to know who the most likely buyers are, which re-trade on a regular basis, which have performed in the past, and which are in exchanges or are otherwise highly motivated.