While you may be willing to live without heat/ac or hot water for a week.

Live off of equity as you sell or live off cashflow.

I too live in Asheville, so Sapphire was closer than Cashiers and Highlands.

What zoning code could I request a zoning variance or rezoning that would allow us to have the 2 livable units on parcel, one primary residence and one additional living unit (known currently as ADU)?

I know becoming a part time agent is one way, but where we live in south Florida seems to be overfilled with agents and I don't think its a great fit for us right now. 

The loan is with you, not with your tenant, so none of that means anything to them - in fact because you live in one unit and it's under 4, if you were self-managing you don't even have to abide by fair housing laws (at least on the federal level). 

Buyers don't look for financing and its foreign so they don't jump on a forsale listing on zillow.I've had the best (only) luck with zillow rental adds,   starting with the pitch;  rent to own, live in a great home while you pay off owning it. 

We do live an hour away from these properties and have W2 jobs.

You can also do a live in flip where you use the equity to sell and reinvest down the road.

A little about me for context: I live in a very expensive market in Rye,NY.