Not really worth the time for me.As someone who has written a bunch of algorithms over the years, I am pretty sure there is much more that goes into the results for each person other than the obvious.

Plus, they’re known for personalized service.

I can say my personal experience has been pretty mediocre.

LOVE offering my Airbnb guests amenities like a pool, spa, sauna, laundry, picnic area, etc; without having to personally maintain those items.3.

At a minimum,  you should understand what the current zoning is and what restrictions there are.As the post above mentioned reaching out or going in person to speak with the planning and zoning department will be very helpful. 

Hiring a lawyer sounds expensive, but it is way cheaper than hiring a amateur (in this case yourself) who costs you money and provides no results (and then you need to hire a professional anyway).My personal philosophy is to "do it right, or do it twice" and its way cheaper to do it right once. 

I’ve only had 1 person look at it.

There is no universal right or wrong, it's personal, it should be a strategy that enhances your life not takes away from it.

After hearing about, and personally encountering some horror stories of disagreements between homeowners and contractors, I am wanting to establish a clear contract to use with a new general contractor. 

I work with a lot of MTR investors and what I am seeing frequently with multifamily acquisitions, particularly with new investors, is that they often test the property just like you're mentioning, as a way to dip their toes in the water and see what works in their area and for their personal style.