Zillow simply supplies the public some good information, but definitely flawed information. 

We've looked into some of the numbers regarding setting up a functioning field: Rental equipment, store/shop, compressed air supply, climate controlled storage for paintballs, liability insurance, staffing expenses, etc.

High demand, little supply of available property for us to build on, and a permitting process that was to time consuming. 

It's all a very interesting study in supply and demand.

Sure you want the property to perform but I also filled out a PFS (personal financial statement) and had to supply all of the supporting documentation. 

And the contractor supplies materials , that way he will warranty the job . 

To get real bids, you need a detailed written scope of work that includes finishes and a list of materials you will be supplying.

If you manage to ramp up a marketing system that supplies enough deals for you, chances are it would be more than you would be able to flip or fund yourself just starting out.

As our main investment strategy is self storage, we focus heavily on the demographics and supply vs demand. 

You could roll up a entity, and write off the office supplies or whatever you want to catalog it as, but the write off value on them books will likely be worth less than the cost to form the entity, documents, and tax filing cost.Once you have a working business, you can absolutely write off software, books, seminars, guru program, etc..