I'm  engineer supporting plants in Cleburne and Ennis (~1hr apart).

@Jon Coleman I am leaving my full time job as a software engineer now that I can comfortably do so, and am planning to dive into REI as a full time gig for the time being.

Check to see if you have to install any manholes, fire hydrants, curb, gutter, sidewalks, street signs, street lighting any specific street design or access requirements, Check DOT requirements for access, stop lights and permits, traffic studies, DWQ requirements for permits, permit fees and time frames.Once you have an idea of what you can build and what is required in terms of permitting and infrastructure you want to talk to some civil engineers, architects and commercial general contractors that do the type of projects and build the type of buildings you want to build so you can get an idea of costs, time frame and requirements.This is a brief and broad overview of how the development process works what's required before you get too far down the road or purchase a property.

As far as determining development possibilities, you have to research the zoning designations and what can be done within them, get whatever info you can from the local planning department, or consult with a local architect/engineer/design-build firm who works with developers.

Unless the local rules require it, I would not involve a civil engineer except possibly to testify on your behalf (see next section).

although I have talked to some folks in Cupertino and its not unusual to have 8 people in a 4 bd home 20 something tech engineers that are single ??

I've got another under construction now and three more in engineering.

I have some exposure to vacation rentals as my family had owned and managed a few vacation rental condos in the Atlantic City area.I am a Design Engineer working in the aerospace industry and would like to start building some passive income through long term rental cashflow. 

I'd be very careful attempting to offset gains with contrived tax deductions or highly engineered tax loss transactions.

I started with SFH in 2009-2015 which I was working my engineering gig.