And the fact that you're local, on-the-ground, gives you a massive advantage. 

Hey Bigger Pockets community, I'm just starting out in Step 1 (get educated) on what I want to become a successful career in real estate investment.I also currently run an e-commerce business that is currently completely online, but would benefit from having a brick & mortar storefront, and I had an idea that maybe using the investment capital I'm looking to allocate into real estate into a commercial property my business can operate out of until I decide to sell the property in or rent it out to another business.I am obviously very naive when it comes to the complexity of any good real estate deal (especially commercial VS residential), but I'm hoping to spend as much time learning from everyone here who is on their journey as well.My main concern with the idea of buying commercial to operate my business out of it that I might struggle to rent it out afterwards and that there may likely be depreciation in the commercial real estate market over the next 5 years.I understand there is a lot of nuance depending on the local market but I'm guessing commercial is even less of a "safe" bet than finding a solid residential deal to leverage in some way.

Hey LaurenI am a local realtor and I work mostly with investors.

You can go to a local facebook or nextdoor groups and find recommended cleaners, handymen and repairmen.

Try to reach out to your network and go to a local REI where you could get some referrals. 

There should be nothing seeing state law has precedence on local laws.the state wants safe units, regardless if they are permitted, to be used to provide housing.  

Be sure to work with an agent or broker who understands your local market, and consult with a professional who understands all applicable tenants-rights laws related to your transaction.

Also, Zimmer & Rens, a law office, is very familiar with these types of scenarios--they work with many, many local investors.

Bedroom requirements can change depending on local code.

I'm an investor and also a Realtor here in Wichita, KS and work with several investors locally.