Great start to life. 

Regret gets you no where in life.

But I strongly urge anyone to always get Aldermanic support before proceeding because it makes life--and the entire project / process--a whole lot easier. :)IN SUM: Based on what you've shared, it sounds like you won't need to rezone if you just want to build a duplex.

With a 3-5% down FHA loan, I snagged a cozy home in a hot spot, worked from home to play handyman, and created a hedge against the "what-ifs" of life.

To get started, continue learning through podcasts like the BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast and books like "The Book on Rental Property Investing" and "Set for Life."

It's a much less comfortable home life, but it sets you up to make a great return with less risk. 

At this stage in my life, these equity plays are more impactful than holding onto a property for a couple hundred dollars of monthly cash flow.What’s your take?

Don't make your life more complicated than it has to be.

A majority of the sentiment from the listening session on the 18th was in favor of STRs and there were a lot of people who shared personal stories of their rentals or their business which support their life, family, and future retirement of inheritance for their families. 

My residential is long term so I can't speak to MTR, but I can say it's the slowest market I've ever seen in my life right now.