@Jon Huber So se what it is aloud as is as well as what the town would allow in that area today?

I'm in SE Wisconsin so I understand the wear our winters have.

Is it dumb for me to be considering going with a duplex as a first investment in the sense that I won't be actually making any money per se?

Other area storage facilities:  1 mile SE of subject property -  94 unit facility - not fenced in, 10x10 rate- $45/mo, 10x15 rate- $55, 10x20 rate- $65, 5x10 rate- $35.  

My thesis for investing is here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blogs/10553/79631-se...

There is NO comparison to be made between Newnan or Peachtree City and Dublin....both are basically suburbs of Atlanta and Dublin is 2 1/2 hours away from Atlanta, being 45 miles SE of Macon.

If you structured your flipping business as an s-corp it will help avoid some of the SE tax but if you are only flipping 2 properties, an S-corp probably wouldn't be worth the trouble.  

If you are interested in rentals, than Apartment Association of SE WI is another good one.  

My goal at the time was not cash flow per se, but establishing a retirement fund. 

Even then there won't be an additional layer of taxes, per se, since LLCs and LPs are pass through entities so any gains or losses are passed directly over to the owners via a form K-1.