Virginia requires a professional license, not necessarily an attorney- a title insurance company, RE Broker, or financial institution might help you.As to your in progress HELOC you have another problem- if the lender does any physical or interior inspection they won't lend to you.

every person who builds a house or a commercial building has to do so with 25% equity to get it financed with a bank. there is absolutely value in new construction. the hard part becomes making sure your architect knows how to design a building that can make money. but saying you don't know how to is a little silly it's the same idea as existing but ground up you just study the market and look at land more than you do anything else. you can build a house anywhere but you want to do it in better areas. it's either than or higher density's smaller floorplans, etc 

This is a great time to update your lease to (a) a month-to-month contract, so that you can ask anyone to leave if they are messing up the feng shui, and (b) add a non-smoking clause.I have written extensively on the merits of MTM leases here on BP, so you can read about my rationale if you'd like.Here's my non-smoking clause:SMOKING: Smoking is prohibited inside your unit or in any interior common areas.

One thing I would like to see is monthly drive by picture...and 1/4erly interior photos. 

Please note the information provided below is a layman's definition designed to provide a basic understanding for the general audience.

Step #PhaseStep1DiscoveryTalk to experts and learn (process, tips, design tips)2DiscoveryCreate social media and document story3DiscoveryGeneral research - budget considerations, financing options, permits, regulations, tax considerations4DiscoveryMarket research - competitor analysis, analyze guest reviews, market trends5DiscoveryGather ideas/inspo (blogs, articles, youtube)6DefineCreate brand and vision7DefineCreate guest requirements (e.g. coffee maker, natural light, near activities, etc.) and prioritize must have, nice to have, etc.8DefineSketch idea for look and feel (architecture and design) - map out the floor layout9DefineConsult an architect (is this needed?)

My main goal is to identify an opportunity that can be scaled from a couple of spots to a dozen, to several dozen eventually without the need to completely re-design or re-engineer the layout without respect to providing utilities. 

I have quite a few clients who self manage their vacation rentals from the mainland.Here is info directly off state of Hawaii website pertaining to vacation rentals (bold in mine):  If you’re off-island, you’ll need to designate a local contact who resides on the same island as the transient accommodation.

BiggerPockets is full of resources designed to help you along your journey, whether you are just getting started or a seasoned investor.

That chuck of change could go a long way towards renovations like a small bathroom remodel, interior painting, or new flooring, etc. if you choose to sell at a higher list price.