Now they're at 525 to 550 a square foot for new construction. 

@Andrew MontgomeryNot sure if you can access some of your 401k and roll it into a self directed IRA to start  investing as a passive investor in someone else's deal, to learn while you earn.You are looking at it linearly.

It’s crucial to start off on the right foot with your taxes.

These forums are a great place to learn and meet people, whether you're just starting out or you're a seasoned investor.House-hacking your residence is a great way to get your foot in the door of investing.

I wouldn't touch arbitrage with a 10 foot pole unless it was a super unique property and situation with an owner where I saw some longevity and buy in from them. 

Your first partnership should be on equal footing.

If people think houses, or other assets, go up linearly then I am at a loss for words. i was on a cruise last fall and my wife made friends with a lady in Art Class and it we had dinner with  her and hubby.. turns out hubby was on the Board of American homes for Rent... they own about 30k homes.. they morphed from buying from others to building their own.. and then when rates rose they stopped and are just treading water at this time.. at least thats the report for that company..

Second, I was doing most of the work and fell off a ladder (first time in 45 years) broke my foot, and had a high sprain...   

It sounds like I may be following in similar foot steps at first!

I have a client with a rental in Granite Bay.   3100 sq foot 4 bed 3 bath with a possible 5th bedroom.