What does this process look like overall?

I seek zoning variances frequently in Philadelphia, but its a lengthy process and don't personally find it a worthwhile pursuit for legalizing a second unit in a building.

Learn from red flags and screening processes going forward (if anything makes more sense in hindsight). 

Material Participation Activities:Property Maintenance: Engage in repairs or construction work on the property to maintain or enhance its condition.Contractor Management: Oversee the hiring and coordination of contractors or handymen for property-related tasks.Tenant Interaction: Communicate with tenants regarding lease agreements, inquiries, or property issues.Property Acquisition: Invest time in property search and evaluation processes, including visits to potential investment properties.Property Management Tasks: Perform activities typically handled by property management companies, such as rent collection or property inspections.Non-Qualifying Activities:Educational Pursuits: Time spent on real estate education or training programs does not count towards material participation.Investor Hours: Hours dedicated to investment analysis, financial planning, or portfolio management are not considered material participation.

I recommend spending a little time on goals and a lot more time on systems/processes (analyze X markets, Y properties, offer on Z opportunities, etc.).

Nick at ReventureConsulting.com has all this and lots more targeted data with his free youtube videos.

I’m going to attend and see how the process works and try to network a little.

This is data from 2022 for Fort Walton beach so this is not a reliable source for revenue projections on 30A.  

That process alone saved us a bundle of time and money.Where am I going with all this?

Perform the same task in each app to ensure a fair comparison.Load a property with pictures and details.Market that property.See what your marketing looks like from the public's perspective.Submit a fake application to see how easy the process is.Run a credit/screening report on yourself.Enter a maintenance request, assign a vendor, and attach a fake invoice.Enter charges to the tenant's ledger.Enter recurring charges and automatic late fees.Sign documents electronically.Run owner reports.After testing a few apps, one should clearly stand out.