He was thinking of ways to grow his retirement portfolio and zoned in on flips.

The duplex isn't the end goal, but a step closer to my 3rd and final red hotel in my overall monopoly game. 

I am looking into a development project and trying to figure out if under an R4 zoning requirement if I can build 2 commercial units? 

The property is zoned appropriately to allow this (allows SFH, 2/3/4/10/50/100 unit complexes, co-ops, literally everything) and would require only a site plan change application (to change from current county duplex/triplex status to fourplex status) and normal renovation building permits.

and when i go to the lenders application, most of the time its asking for a property, i dont have one yet since i have no idea what i qualify for.. kind of putting me in the analysis paralysis zone, im stuck in limbo because im not sure what my next steps should be considering the lender aspect.. is it pre-aproval,THEN the property hunt?

The idea was to purchase, rent out one part and live in the other...however it's zoned for Single Family (R40). 

As for flood or no flood every property, every structure is at risk of flooding even if they are not in a high-risk flood zone and some of these flood zones are more political than most people realize, my real meaning is that most of Houston (as an example) should be in a flood zone but selling homes that require flood insurance is a deterrent (especially if a new development) so maps get redrawn not giving the real risk this is why 90% of all the claims that came in from Harvy were in X flood zones which are considered low risk.

Theresa Ikeda was my realtor, Erin Pearce at Loan Zone mortgage was my lender.

Red flags will go up especially if it happened as soon as you closed and you didn't move in.

The only way I know of is through a qualified opportunity zone fund- although that tax deferral expires in 2027 - unless future legislation extends it.