Most states are land lord friendly and prices are still in a good range to cash flow well. 

For example, you might own 4 properties with a sum total of 50k in equity but one of the properties generates $900 per month positive cash flow.

I'm currently stuck on how to get started, i feel arbitrage is a good start to make some cash flow and use that money to eventually put money down on an ownership property.

just remember that positive cash flow isn't actually the goal of a house hack. 

there are 3 material participation tests we need to pass at least one of them: substantially all work time spent on the property is your doing (including cleaning and repairs)100 hours and more then anyone else( this one I think applies to you) 500 hours (hard to substantiate for one property)Please note for the 100 hour and more then anyone else test you need to not only keep a time log for yourself but a time log of ALL people who have participated in the property.

We use the RHAWA lease agreement, if you are not a member of that organization or WLA, I would recommend you sign up.In the RHAWA lease agreement (not Seattle specific), it states that security deposit can be used all purposes including unpaid rent, damage, cleaning, late payment, utilities, keys and other charges.It is never a bad idea to pay for an hour of an attorney's time to go over any of these concerns and then you can be confident you are following the law.

It will be free flow of helpful information. 

No i apologize i worded that wrong, i meant she wont be making any money on the account because she is leaving that company this month and is asking me if i could find a property that cash flows so we can use the money she has in the 401k to buy it instead of putting it into a CD. thank god for the bigger pockets community for helping me realize i have way more research to do!!!

Assuming the rent covers the mortgage at $1,600, there's no immediate positive cash flow.

The problem is that I can't get a loan - I'm too good at taxes, and don't have enough income to qualify for conventional products, and don't have enough portfolio, cash/flow, or experience to get hard money.