I assume this is a multi million dollar deal.the builder of course NEEDS YOUR equity to get his loan.. now the good news is if he  can get a loan means he is somewhat to fully qualified.. you can do a participation mortgage in second position calling out for an interest rate and a bonus you just put it right in the note.. or lets say your lot price is 500k.. you simply write your note for 650k plus interest.. this assure you of profit.I would not do this though if you have no means to step in and complete or cash out the first.. nothing is worse than taking over a build project from a builder that failed mid stream

Recently I have been considering investing in SFH or small multi-family properties in Vermont with the intent to generate a rental income stream. 

Find a PM that has some other units in the area so they can add 300 bucks more a month to their revenue stream.

You try stuff and if it fails (and aren't wiped out), you learn from your mistakes and try something different.Now the question becomes the best ways for me to increase my passive incomes to create this income stream I need (the wellsprings of cash that outrun my growing expenses [healthcare in old age] and inflation).

Does that not now qualify as a steady income stream?

There are pros and cons in my opinion:Pros of many cheaper house:1. easier to buy2. higher rent to priceCons of many cheaper houses:1. less reliable tenant (damaging houses/less reliable income stream).

I own an e commerce company and my wife stays home so I figure I could use my expertise and her time, plus my fathers mls capabilities to continue the revenue stream and grow it.

Advertise rental through several streams (craigslist, sign, word of mouth, Zillow, potentially an agent depending on response rate)2. sign up for a background check service to check on prospective tenants3. cursory review of applicants4. submit a scaled-down list to background service and follow up on any referrals for potentials5.

While some contractors work on a 1099 basis, I worked as a W-2 for safe harbor reasons (the IRS has vague rules about who is a contractor and who is an employee -- picking the wrong one can get expensive for the parties involved when the IRS disagrees with your choice).I also had to learn how to live on a lumpy income stream as a contractor (if the agency didn't have a project for me to work on [no "billable hours"], I didn't get a paycheck).

The goals that I hope to achieve through real estate investing are: 1) to provide a cash flow stream for my mother as she gets older and requires assisted living or nursing home facilities, 2) provide a cash flow stream for my younger brother (who has Down's Syndrome) as he gets older and requires assisted living facilities and increased medical attention, and 3) provide a means of early retirement for me and my older brother.While listening to BP podcast #276 (my favorite) the other morning, I had that lightbulb moment of how to get started in real estate investing.