I found it very unlikely that the government would not want to get their piece of the pie, especially if they had purchased a new primary home.Donyou have a Tax Code or Publication Number you can share so I can study up and understand your thought process more in depth?

I would simply hire a good civil that has done development in that jurisdiction and pay for a feasibility study and let them run through all the check items.. but thats really just the start.. also for context .. these projects require 350 to 750k in CASH up front to get to approved plat status ..

@Matthew Drouin I haven't even dreamed of doing what I'm talking about but research the subject I've been brought to various YouTube video offer case studies & case analysis which would have me to believe deals can be done by lone individuals without any capital of their own being spent.

You also want to see a reserve study and only invest in a property where the HOA is at least 30% funded, less than that is assessment territory. 

Leverage and invest at 40x $100 000 properties ($20k down + $5k closing cost, 30 yeas fix rate loan) with a return of 10% where you have better asset protection (my keeping lower equity and higher bank position), you are hedge against inflation (agree with me, in 30 years $1 000 000 purchasing power will be less compare than $1 000 000 today) Here is how looks mathematically:1. 10% on $1 000 000 (10x $100 000) = $100 000 / annually - No interest tax deduction- No loan paydown benefit2. 10% on 1 000 000 (40x $100 000) = $400 000 / annually - debt service + full tax benefits+ loan pay down+ hedge against inflation for 30 years+ better asset protection (by maintaining lower equity  position)   + (not guaranteed of course) if appreciation happens, it happens on the all full asset amount, example:If appreciate 10%:In case "1" you will have 10% on $1 000 000 = $1 100 000In case "2" you will have 10% on all 40x properties (40x $100 000 = 4 000 000) = $1 400 000As far as cash flow, as long you buy "right" CAP 8% and higher you will have stronger cash flow on leveraged asset + all additional benefits.

To thrive in real estate investing, you must maintain a firm grip on your finances.

Tangible personal property identified in a cost segregation study is what allows you to accelerate depreciation.

A house hack could definitely be a good first step, allowing you to build wealth while maintaining your lifestyle.

.• Use some equity from the sale to make this transition smoother.I’m torn between maintaining our current home as an asset and buying  a new smaller house to use as a rental after we move back in versus simplifying and focusing on a single upgraded property Considering factors like market trends, potential equity growth, and quality of life, which path do you think would be most beneficial?

Perhaps do a case study with a hypothetical deal you think is typical for what you are looking at and compare it to the alternative investments you might use and their expected returns.