Trying to build an empire of real estate here! 

I intent to make this a long-lasting relationship as I slowly build an empire of rental properties.

Empirical evidence of information?

Go put that license to good use and start building your empire!  

If I were in your shoes, I would double down on RE and build that empire to financial freedom (if this is what you are truly passionate about).

You do your thing, build your rental empire one inexorable step after another, don't let anyone take it away from you.If Wesley's quick explanation of how to build porch stairs for peanuts out of pressure-treated lumber seems a bit abbreviated, I think there's an episode of Ask This Old House that lays out the exact toe-clearance cut technique he mentions, very well done.

won't be rates like a federally backed mortgage but will be far better than private or HML.I spent most of my career in land and Timber ... and these types of rural acreages are really tough to finance. 

Again, I'm not building an empire, I just want a few buy and holds to help offset my income.

I say "semi-passive" rather than just "passive" because I know there will be some work that I'm going to have to do even after I have built up my Real Estate Empire.

But to be honest, I don't know much about the inland areas, so I will leave that to Elizabeth Colegrove , who is actually more familiar with the area, instead of a coastal investor like myself opining on area they don't know much about..