Banks are much, much more sensitive to the changes in interest rates where Mortgage Companies "securitize" their loans by basically placing those loans in "traunches" that act more like a long-term bond.

I’m currently leveraged to the teeth, but my earned income is a huge buffer.

When there's savings and bonds accounts offering 5%, the likely anyone is advertising they have private or hard morning at 5% is most likely a scam.

At the state level, they utilize tax money to create affordable housing grants in the form of preferred lending, grants, guarantees, and tax credits which make the process of applying so elusive only the biggest players can take advantage thus providing great opportunities for the rich to become even richer.At the local level zoning laws, impact fees, bonding, and preconstruction paperwork make the building extremely costly.

There are just a lot of legal loopholes at the moment that will need to be resolved before the slow down effort gets some teeth.

Or they could also buy $500M worth of short term government bonds. 

As such I would invest that profit into either more rentals, or index funds, REIT's, bonds, and other businesses.

My recommendation is that you get a snow service that is bonded and reimburse your tenant for bags of salt as needed.

Long term bonds and Precious metals.

While stocks, bonds and mutual funds are still common portfolio inclusions, there are many other avenues that can also be rewarding in the long run, if you are willing to put in the time.