@Frank Rizzo, I'm guessing that you've already regularly borrowed against your primary to get sufficient finance for those extra properties, and for your value-adding (but non-income producing) projects, am I right?  

I understand that house hacking in your first duplex generally won't produce nearly as much cash flow as house hacking in a fourplex.

If the investment produces $420 in profit, are you splitting it and drawing it out or are you putting it right into a shared fund to build a reserve or save for the next investment?

Fast forward two weeks to moving in, our house abruptly did not have hot water, and was only able to produce lukewarm water at best.

- The opportunity that I see is that by living in one unit, the other units cover the mortgage plus produce immediate cash flow, which can really help bridge the gap initially for me until I start this job.- Luckily I have an interested father who is offering to lend me the downpayment necessary for my first investment. 

I have seen the log yards almost empty during the crash.. they are producing big time. 

I would save every single dime they produced until you have a nice reserve.

@Angelina Mele Research a few top producing agents in your area and see if they are looking at add to the team.

So if the goal is to be a a full time agent and a part time investor, then I would recommend to go shadow a top producing agent in your area.

You do have a very special asset in yourself that has the potential to produce more long term value than the construction companies can ever produce.