Although I did just do a quick google search for professional real estate photography and the prices are $100-$200.

She is in Buffalo, and can be there quickly to meet with people.

With this savings growing quickly, where should we keep our savings to get some kind of a return in the meantime while I crunch numbers, read books and absorb as much as I can before making that first decision?

If you have to go 100 feet, that's a quick $10K extra that needs to be added to the cost of doing the conversion. 

You will quickly notice who the major players in the space are.

I have a family member that is trying to sell their house quickly for whatever they can get.

Their granite CT was about the same price as a quote for a custom cut laminate CT.

I looked up for companies who build custom buildings with containers.

IMHO unless you are a home builder you will probably lose money trying to custom build.     

I am ok with commuting up to 30 minutes, so the areas I've been looking has been from the mid Raleigh area (draw a line from NCSU through downtown) all the way down to Clayton, NC.My fear is purchasing a house which doesn't appreciate at all, having trouble selling quickly, or having trouble finding a renter to cover all costs of the house (including a property manager).