You may think about buying a SFH instead of multi-family if you're working with a lower price point.

The window guideline also has a height restrictions, homes built hillside with a room on the lower level are not always considered bedrooms because if the window is too small for a fireman to get in , in case of a fire it doesn't comply with the guidelines.

The lower unit is a basement/guest suite.

Lower property taxes, affordable housing compared to LA (CA buyers are usually cash buyers because what they net from their smaller home in CA can get them a bigger home here, often covered by what they net from their CA sale), allergies (smog), and politics. 

The home values are still lower than pre-pandemic and far fewer multiple offers.Vegas was the big topic among my local meet up circle.

Then house hack a 4 plex to start I am sure you can get into one of those in that market which is lower priced than 90% of the US.  

Since new builds require upfront capital, you might not see immediate returns, but lower maintenance costs and higher rents typically make up for it long term.If you're serious about scaling with BTR, make sure you connect with experienced builders, property managers, and lenders who understand the strategy.

Mean while i would be building equity, and if rates do lower, or when the term ends, could refi for better rates and then maybe cash flow.My questions are:Is this too naively optimistic?

Generally speaking, I think tech like this stuff and social media have lowered the barrier to entry, allowing people to take risks they dont fully understand, whether wholesaling. flipping, lending, etc.

But that was probably only a handful of us.so I agree with you, the large education programs tend to be more expensive and tend to produce lower results.