I have drafted plans for covered patios and decks in Coronado, City and County of SD.

Also, the whole point of hiring a PM is to handle tenant, maintenance, and rent collection, so if your partner isn’t actively managing but just supervising the PM, IMO not worth having a two people essentially looking over the same tasks.Contributing financially for one person and the other having no financial stake raises decision making questions, such as when to sell, how profits will be distributed, etc.

However, some investors don't mind this strategy if they prefer not to put a lot of liquid in up front and plan to refi out within a few years of closing (which seems to be a great option with the talks of the FED reducing interest rates this year).It really comes down to investing in a growing market, in a good neighborhood & building a great team to support you.

The longest delay is the floor plans. 

I originally wanted to do a quad but financially I know I can’t fund a project that large, unfortunately.

I personally could give a rip about the buyers safety if they dont know any better and get wiped out so what.. but Sellers thats a whole different matter.. a sub 2 gone bad can destroy them financially emotionally physically break up marriages etc etc.

Instead of debates and personal opinion, look for proof https://www.ladbs.org/docs/default-source/forms/plan-check-2017/single-family-dwelling-duplex-plan-review-list.pdf under G (Interior Env) which defines the minimum requirement of a habitable room (aka bedroom or bathroom).

@Chris HainsI use the House Flipping Spreadsheet (https://www.houseflippingspreadsheet.com/) to do the planning, analysis and estimating prior to purchase. 

I plan to consult a tax professional but before wasting anyone's time I would like to ask whether I can technically claim the property as a rental in 2024 even though our first contract started Jan. 1, 2025?

If you plan to build your own primwry you absolutely want it to be your primary first not investment land first.