@Rich Vogel I would make a direct link between current Fed and Treasury actions and a rise in inflation. 

Unfortunately I believe Hawaii is a place where you need to be rich already :(Jobs pay 30% less than our mainland counter parts.

Recent reads are Rich Dad Poor Dad, Millionaire Next Door, and halfway through Millionaire Real Estate Investor.

Would it be beneficial to go this route, or would it be wiser to go a more traditional route and simply buy a house to move into in a few years?

I myself and a big fan of Rich Dad Poor Dad.

No traditional reo sale thru agent not hud site

It doesn't seem like this is beneficial if I intend to buy a second home within a year given the benefits of being a first time buyerSome of the other things I am keeping up with is the rookie podcast and taking my time to really digest Rich Dad, Poor Dad.

NAR has urged lawmakers(link is external) "to recognize the millions of self-employed workers of America that lack the benefits and financial aid offered to traditional W-2 employees."

My long winded question is how does land traditionally perform in down markets and who are the people looking to purchase land in down times?

There is no replacement for networking, but you don't have to go the traditional route.