A $130,000 house in the Midwest sounds affordable to us in CA but so many headaches. 

@Steve SmithLots of options with legacy planning I would recommend working with your advisors to create a detailed plan to make sure you are accomplishing your goals in the most effective way.  

that sounds good idea.

This guy sounds like a hoarder who spends all day watching television and hanging out with his cats.

The idea sounds great and I am considering it.

That sounds like nonsense, tbh.

Buying an existing 2 family in Yonkers, NY, might be more cost-effective upfront compared to building one, especially with high prices and competition for properties in great condition.

I'm guessing it's because the title of your post is that you are looking for private money lending partnership, but it sounds like you are looking at getting into real estate investing to begin a portfolio.

It sounds like you haven't defined a "deal that works" or looked at enough creative options in California yet. 

However, I remain skeptical about purchasing property as a primary residence being a sound investment.