I think tax benefits should be secondary to buying something that would work well as a STR.I would recommend you consult a tax professional to see what possible tax benefits you could receive from buying this STR.

If saving 20% and building direct is worth it to you I'd recommend it.

My recommendation is before chasing all these real estate deals is to go earn and save some money so when a good deal comes a long you can take action and move on it. 

I have never pulled a permit for a water heater swap, know no one that has ever pulled a permit for a water heater swap, ever seen or heard about one getting red tagged for no permit, and have never had a plumber recommend getting a permit.

I’m excited to connect, learn, and eventually contribute as I gain experience.Feel free to drop your wisdom or recommendations—I’m all ears!

.- I recommend avoiding condos. 

Also, can anyone recommend a reliable company for this?

Recommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a property in Class D area to Class A standards, what quality of tenant will you get?

@Jacob HavlovickBigger Pockets is a great place to find a real estate tax accountant.A good real estate accountant can save you thousands of dollars by leveraging entity selection and formation, tax deductions, cost segregations, bonus depreciation and tax planning.I recommend finding an accountant who specializes in real estate taxation, business taxation, financial planning and tax planning.You may want to consider working with your accountant remotely to expand your options.I would also recommend looking for a accountant willing to work with you throughout the year.

My recommendation would be to take business classes at a technical college while working/ interning for a company in a field you are interested in.