Furthermore, client like the aspect of having "options"/packages, even if they don't use them. 

Networking is a vital aspect to the process of Real Estate success. 

Talk to @Joseph Scorese at First Bank as he understands the construction loan aspect.  

While those seminar types show a disclaimer about "you can't trust any of this and see your attorney and tax adviser, I'm more compliant and try to ensure several aspects of instructional advice. 1. legal and ethical, 2. reproducible, 3. profitable, 4. manageable 5. flexible and adaptable to investment strategies.

Education is so much better than regulation in every aspect of every field.

But -- and I don't want to sound like the filthy 1%'er I am -- couldn't you have added way more value to your life by spending that time and energy in a different aspect of RE?   

I'm curious to thoughts on that particular aspect? 

Usually a tactic claiming that you can avoid or evade the due on sale aspects, which is totally untrue, a trust doesn't change anything.

Need to sharpen you pencil, identify the market, look for the social and economic aspects that drive distressed situations and go from there. :)         

The other big risk is leaving your company, which will increase with the longer time frame.I think the "double tax" aspect of the 401K loans is overstated since it only impacts the interest portion of the payments.