You need to be able to sustain a month or 2 (or even a few months) without renters without it affecting your finances.

I would like to use small multi family properties to build a sustainable portfolio, not only for my family now, but, that I can turn over to my girls some day.Now that I look at it, maybe that's more an idea than a plan...

I've also been told that if more than 50% of the property has sustained fire damage the city will require you to install a sprinkler system which can cost upwards of $5000k.  

I have a full-time job in an unrelated field (computer science) and am looking not just to supplement that income with real estate but to really grow a self-sustaining multi-family real estate business, using this incredible inheritance as a jumping off point.

The problems are 1)markets where appreciation above inflation is sustained over decades is exceedingly rare (but they do exist), 2)in these type of markets your initial cash flow will be much lower (but not in the long run with rent increases) as compared to a market with high initial cash flow and no appreciation (negative appreciation after inflation), and 3)markets with long term appreciation by definition are not cheap so you will need some capital to get started.

I need a resource (competent authority) that can analyze the properties, rents, loans, and whatever else... and make recommendations to do (whatever it takes) to generate retirement sustaining cash flow.How do I find this professional?

I am looking for networking opportunities and any information that will help me achieve my goal of financial freedom through a self sustaining real estate portfolio. 

One question that I ponder is how sustainable is that? 

As private, non investor buyers begin to pour into court house sales as they also can find no inventory, we are now feeling the rope around our necks becoming tighter and tighter as to what we need to do next to be sustainable.

Here is the question: What can I build on this property that would be able to sustain the, lets say 2 million dollar loan plus development costs, for enough time until the rest of the development catches up and swallows it, allowing me to sell and cash out a few mil profit?