Start networking with other investors and see how you can assist them and learn the ropes so that when it's time to jump in you will be ready.With me personally owning apartments, I would recommend owning as many doors as possible because the economies of scale plays to your advantage.

Ideally, I'd like to build the 4-plexes in order to live in one and rent the other 3., but as someone with zero experience, would the single family lot be my best bet?

These properties need work and are ideal for flips.

If you are relying on Credit, you have to play by their rules.

My husband and I deal with this on a daily basis.

Ideally, we could find a brick industrial type building where we could rent the ground level commercially for about the PITI, and live close to rent free above in a loft like space.

I highly doubt Johnny make an arbitrage play with the stock either. 

Ideally someone independent and well-connected. 

Hello Rigo, yes ideally the best flip for a newbie or for any investor is one that only needs cosmetic upgrades.  

Office Building (about 2k sqr ft)Ideally I'd like to rent out the duplex like a normal Duplex, then figure out how to rent out the office building (this would be very new to me).