My semi-educated guess is that it's somewhere in between those two positions. 

While I know there are numerous ways to achieve this, for the majority, I see them achieving it in one of two ways:* Building Systems/A Team/A Business - This would be the faster of two ways here to get to $10k semi passively.

It needs an aggressive attorney and likely an aggressive local or semi-local eviction specialist, who has tall experience with challenging tenants.Yuck.

Was thinking of building an arbitrage portfolio and putting all profits in a side account to pursue DSCR loans on semi rehab properties but its such a long game.  

I have annual and semi annual safety and soundness exams and audits from the CFPB, the DFPI and the FDIC and others, and none of our audits have anything to do with how many non performing notes we have to determine taking on new loans.

Eventually you can create semi-passive income streams, but it's a lot of work, at least in the beginning, no matter what and it's never truly passive because there's always something you'll need to be doing and paying attention to even once you've got a solid portfolio under solid management.

(I am not a financial advisor) just a lowly semi-knowledgeable insurance agent who does a lot of retirement and tax planning) 

one sleeper is the Area around Portola and Grey eagle you have the Sierra buttes and Sierra city downieville cute gold rush towns. when I can finally call it a semi day that is the path we are taking.. but I love to fly fish so I follow the fish. 

However that doesn't work to deter the trespassing because my house it at the corner of a block and I have a semi circular driveway on one side, and a 20' wide driveway on the other side in front of a 2 door garage. 

Well I can humbling say my product is anything but garbage .. we re head to head with Lennar.. we are semi custom and we get a price premium for our quality and locaiton.