I used to be in marketing and my wife is an interior designer (freelance). 

Zoning change and a lot of design an lobbying.

We used to do pet deposits, but now we collect a one-time "pet fee" upfront that is designated for damage repair and cleaning on the back end. 

Regarding gaming as a major, does that mean designing/producing games?

Surprised Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg is not on this list.Places like Joshua Tree are popular but also very saturated. 

To get a better idea of what your ideal build would cost, find a build you like on HAR and present that to a builder so they can see the pics (finishes/design etc) and with that particular square footage they can give you an idea of what it will cost.

Designed to prevent the ground from shifting.

Another idea is talk to title companies to see who's the most popular real estate agent and buyer who comes into their office all the time.

We designed some, furnished and manage them.

As for the HELOC, the more I research the more it matches your comment regarding using it for home improvements / flips so I may sit on that for a little bit until I educate myself further on those topics.As for raising capital, I have read the private lenders are a popular way and hard money loans which I do not fully understand yet.