Meanwhile, Amazon sells window AC units very inexpensively, so you could purchase one of those to use while you are without AC in the house.

It is currently a duplex with a tall attic we will make into a studio. 

I attended the FHA home owners education class and received the certificate of completion, so I am working with the lender on the 3.5% down and down payment assistance, so I have less money out of pocket and can focus more of my funds on renovation and increasing equity.The properties I am looking at either have basements that are finished, or basements that I can finish myself to rent out separately either on a month to month basis, or as an AirBnB, or they have detached garages that are big enough to convert to a studio, or AirBnB. 

I even tried to find a book on Amazon (for Alabama, don't bother), but couldn't get as much info as I was hoping for, especially considering how complicated I'd heard tax sale laws can be. 

There are either large/expensive warehouses, that are live/work or there are just commercial artist studios.

If you can self install easily, ducted hoods work so much better.Personally I'd skip the ceiling fan and get an 18" 2000-2500 lumen 4000k led light to save on long-term maintenance and provide better kitchen lighting $50 on amazon.

How do you list it on Airbnb, meaning studio/house/apartment?

I’m 33 with a wife and two young kids. (3 and 6) I am a full time online retailer and sell products on eBay and Amazon.

There is plenty of money to be made now that Amazon committed 3,000 jobs to the area. 

It was  run down tavern & 4 equally rundown studios apts.