I'm looking to pickup some multifamily real estate but the barrier to entry is crazy in my local market.

Residential subdivisions, while potentially less complex, can be hit-or-miss depending on local housing trends and the cost of infrastructure development. 

Would real estate prices in certain regions rise rapidly due to demand from both local and international buyers? 

The best place for true private money is usually in your local meet-ups!

Next piece of advice is shop this deal around with someone through the forums or local real estate groups (google for your area). 

network with local agents to see where they took theres. but not much to it but go with who you feel comfortable with.

I spoke to the local fire chief.

People that are good at branding and review designation can bury those low reviews and I wouldn't want to own someone's reviews but I am not your audience as far as a projected buyer as we purchased ours for a deal and they are both higher end beach stilt houses that are side by side and neither had been listed as a STR on any platform, we built it up with a direct book site and also use the platforms as well as the local website in the area to book. 

You’ll want to check if your specific work falls under their home improvement contractor licensing, or if there are additional local permits required depending on the county.

I would call your local property appraiser office and ask about the criteria for appealing, because you may have to wait until next year when you receive the TRIM notice.