The reason for this mainly of because I can get a bigger loan on the house we have just built, than taking a ground up new construction loan on the rental we are wanting to build next door as well as my experience with ground up loans is zero - 

To avoid going through the same poor experience, keep reading.Even if someone gives you a referral here, do NOT make the mistake of assuming that the PMC will meet your expectations, just because they met the expectations of the referral source.In our experience, the #1 mistake owners make when selecting a Property Management Company (PMC) is ASSUMING instead of CONFIRMING.It's often a case of not doing enough research, as they don't know what they don't know!

My issue: Even with a college degree, entreprenurial experience, and project management I can’t seem to break in after 5-6 months of applying.

Let's kick off this discussion— if you've ventured into residential construction investments, could you share which market you're in, your experiences or challenges, and any advice for newcomers?

It doesn’t sound like you have any experience.

I want to utilize my time in learning and if possible gain experience through the help of this great community.

From my own experiences cooking on both, a gas stove heats up an area significantly more than an electric one. 

I have yet to make my first deal and tend to get discouraged so am looking to connect with someone who has some experience to see how we can help ea other.

Based on your goals, experience level, and my assumption that high earning w-2s tend to be demanding of your time, I actually think that there are better ways for you to offset your w-2 income.

The point being - outside of being in a really bad part of town, our experience has been that appreciation will come to all who own real estate (in an up market).