I am in the Atlanta area, let me know if I can be of assistance. 

Random things like this.I can only imagine if they did allow you to add all the bedrooms, they would make you also add fire sprinkler system and a commercial fire alarm system like residential assisted living. 

If you are looking to work with a STR focused realtor that probably has the most STR sales in the area, is an STR investor himself, has a STR property management company and assists with staging if needed, and can give you a true pulse on the market, I recommend reaching out to @Josh Green.

Offer to be his/her assistant for free, do all the stuff he/she hates doing, and learn the business from them.

This is something that legal aid might be too able to assist you with if you are not very well healed financially.Good Luck!

If you build a good relationship with a local realtor, they can assist.

In terms of the second scenario, the upside I see is the option to get a different kind of loan (say, FHA with a lower down payment and other assistance programs for K-12 educators like me) since I'd be getting a new primary residence instead of a second home.

Hi Sushil,My firm does portfolio loans, and if you fit the criteria, we may be able to assist.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. 

I rent STR mostly through airbnb which acts as a rental manager and I have an assistant that I personally hired to flip/clean the units and also on site for renovations.