Hello @Geoffrey K.I feel an urge to comment on your question above because even though I have been investing on the side for the past three and a half years now from my full time job, a situation came up that got me even more fired up on why it is such a good reason to invest while you have a family, have a career, and while you able to invest.I work full time and invest on the side while working.

Was thinking to find a GC to provide that half of the equation if possible.

He wants to downsize his space and rent the half of the space.

I suggest funding a ROTH IRA for 2017 with half of it, and let the other half sit as an emergency fund for when life throws you a curve ball, which it will. 

This may sound harsh, but it sounds like you may have some more work to do on mastering personal finance ... yes, you may be frugal and be able to manage expenses ... that is great, you are half way there ... but yet, you have no capital, so you are not all the way there yet IMO.

a reduction of half a percent or so in price"Yes!

I have a tenant that is renting the other half of a duplex that I'm "house hacking" in that wants to start giving me a cashiers check for the rent instead of going through "ERentPayment".For the first few months of her being at the property she's been on ERentPayment and it's worked out fine.....until today when i got a notice from them that says her payment to them was returned due to insufficient funds.

If the price was half as much, I would hope to rent it out, covering debt service until the next up turn.We recently bought a house on one acre that we plan to divide into 4 lots and build 8 homes.  

I was doing deals in the second half of that period of time, but they became easier once it dropped off my reportCar loan - grrrrr.  

I am up to owning 5 properties, and only plan to sell the one, because it is an hour and a half from where we live.