@Scott Isbister Do you know if Calgary has finalized the ability to legalize secondary suites in attached dwellings.

You'd also need to establish a budget, and secure a master insurance policy. i THINK you need to do these things before reaching out to your municipality to have it converted officially with the county or city but they would be the first ask for steps in order.i will add, this would make financing on these units a bit challenging, as in the mortgage world, at least initially, they would be considered "non-warrantable" condos.

I've been reading books on the subject (Small and Might Real estate investor) and listening to the BP podcasts for a few months now, and I was initially very excited about finding a multi-family property to start out, in order to maximize my leverage against an FHA loan.

Consult with competent legal counsel to guide you regardless of your choice here.

You could do the BRRR method and the sneaky rental method (live in a house initially, then rent it out after, while light rehabbing.)

One more thing I should address:  Installing cameras inside of a residence with other tenants can be a HUGE legal violation.  

These initiatives exist in both Italy and Spain but are not meant to compete with developed areas like the Costa del Sol.That said, it’s important to note that I know the Costa del Sol very well, as my parents are from the region.

(i.e. initial decorating and painting, bookings, rate structures, marketing, bookkeeping housekeeping, etc)? 

It couldn't hurt to call a couple attorneys right away to see what they say in terms of cost and suggestions for dealing with this quickly.In terms of mitigating any legal issues with your tenant be sure you are documenting every conversation you have had with the HOA in terms of asking them to make the necessary repairs.

I own a duplex in Clermont, FL just outside of Orlando and initially wanted to split water meters between the two units, but the cost and amount of work were higher than expected.