I’ve experienced a wide variety of permitting/City planning tar pits in my construction career.  

You mentioned a wide variety of interests - so my suggestion is to focus on one or two that really resonate with you and dive in.

So, your options now are wide open.

City of San Diego has crazy upzoning but instead of isolating it to where the infrastructure can handle it (my preference), they do it city wide.  

Note that I'm not asking this question looking for an excuse to give up on my dreams of real estate investing before I even start - I just want to go into things with my eyes wide open and adjust my strategies if necessary.Thanks in advance for your input guys (and gals!)

Circle prospecting/Geo leads - this is the best way IMO to cast a wide net in a selected area and begin adding total strangers to your database.

Brokers have access to a wide range of lenders and can often find specialized products that align with your needs.Remember, lending policies and products can change, so keeping an eye on the market and regularly reviewing your options is advisable.

Now I try to keep my eyes wide open and look for opportunities whether it be real estate, stock market, or something else. 

Tax expenses also vary widely by investor, and since NOI is specific to the property, not the person, do not include it.NOI equals all revenue from the property, minus all reasonably necessary operating expenses.

We do have the rural issue, but I have some great cleaners and various service pro's who drive the hour one way out to the lake house.It is pretty much wide open where we are at.