It looks like most of them have been listed for 2-3 months, so you aren't unique.Another consideration is your distance from the city. 

You may have some extra costs, like dumpster versus city trash collection or parking lot sealing and striping from time to time, and possibly different building standards if you are doing major renovations, but day in and day out they are very similar.  

Do they have 5k in high weeds/grass built up from a year of the city mowing at $300 a pop?

Perhaps it has something to do with the statistical average where in Australia, if you are borrowing 75% on property in the cities or suburbs, it is almost impossible to get positive cash flow ANYWHERE, whereas BP subscribers are aware that in MANY parts of the USA, the opposite is true.

But since that time I left my corporate job, moved states, my daughter was born and is now 6 months old, and I began investing in a new city.

If it does not qualify for the EPP, then the project must go through the city’s standard building permit process.

Are there areas/cities more open to multifamily rezoning compared to others?

I like starting small so maybe a food truck in 10 or so years :)I'm currently looking for investors to do what you did except focusing on commercial residential property in Kansas City.

Unlike true multifamily, meaning the county or city has the property categorized as multifamily, you can't use potential rental income from the additional units to help you qualify (if the home is single family per the appraisal, that is).

The cities laws make landlord very difficult for raising rents and evicting tenants.