Huge segment of the population is priced out buying. 

The idea that someone from this segment of the working class can meaningfully buy into Apple or Tesla and have some meaningful ownership of these companies is not realistic in todays world. 

They did everything you mentioned except they went up 4 feet to make even drywall segments.

Flipping and buy&hold are two distinct strategies with very different goals - building wealth versus quick profit.

We focus on Yield on Cost.This distinction isn’t just a nuance—it’s the cornerstone of our development philosophy.

Not all CPAs are aware of the distinctions between residential and nonresidential property when it comes to STRs, and that can lead to costly errors down the road.

Since you're living in one unit and renting the other three, with separate tax bills, utilities, and addresses, you have a solid argument to treat the rental portion as a distinct investment property eligible for bonus depreciation.Here's how it works:You can only depreciate the rental portion (3 of 4 units).A cost segregation study can identify components (e.g., flooring, HVAC, appliances) eligible for accelerated and bonus depreciation.The unit you live in is not depreciable, but the others qualify for full investment property tax treatment.However, to use the losses against your W-2 income, you’ll need to qualify under Real Estate Professional Status (REPS) or the Short-Term Rental (STR) loophole.

That is distinctly different from professional business that are national in scope and call themselves private lenders.

Impossible to say without a LOT more information; market is segmented.  

While some markets, like DFW and Austin, are still competitive for well-priced properties, sellers are becoming more flexible with concessions and price reductions in certain segments.