The idea would involve working together to construct a road that provides access to my property.From there, I’m considering developing a 16-unit multifamily project on my land.

It is hard but as a realtor I pay attention to prices throughout the year so that I have an idea of whether or not it is a "real" discount.

That said, even with conservative rental income estimates, my living expenses would eventually drop to several hundred dollars less than what I’m currently paying in rent once the house hack starts generating income.I do have cash reserves to weather some rough patches, but the idea of pushing my budget this hard makes me uneasy.

I had no idea they would decline me for MY OWN MONEY technically.   

Quote from @Simon Horowitz: I'd love to connect on here with trustworthy contractors that I can bounce ideas off. 

I have been seeing ideas for investing in a laundromat.

The idea of getting a duplex seems great, but I am having trouble finding anything on and off market.

 @Jay Hurst great idea here.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Quote from @Erick Pena: A "good" rental property is one that covers all expenses (mortgage, taxes, insurance, maintenance, property management fees, and any other costs) and still leave a surplus (commonly referred to as cash flow).Calculate cash flow as: Cash Flow = Rental Income − Operating Expenses − DebtThere's much more to it, but that's the basic idea.