I've been scouring the internet, watching YouTube videos and pod casts.

You can do a quick internet search and see the typical expense categories (advertising, insurance, management, etc.). 

I would introduce myself and lay out my goals and intentions for business with them.

well this is complicated and highly unlikely anyone can help you on an internet forumyou don't say what jurisdiction it is.there are about 40 steps to get a project approved.5 acres of townhouses might be 100 units soft cost might be 300k or more up front. financing to build 20 mil or more  5 million in cash equity probably needed to pull that off. to name just a few of the 40 things that need to align to have a successful development

I have a degree myself, but I sure as hell wouldn't spend a dime on a real estate degree when the internet and BP has taught me just about everything I know about real estate.Save your cash and use it to make more money.

A third of the building has what I would call a unified office of about 3,500 sq. feet with several rooms and a rational layout; this was leased out at $900 per month when I took possession of the building and they stayed for a couple of years.

Do you really want to lose many thousands when your lease has loopholes because you read it was good from a random person on the internet?

Don’t tell strangers on the internet how much money you have

And my advice above could be completely wrong, because I'm just some random guy on the internet who's not an accountant.

And the little bit of information I could find about this on bp and the internet it seems I've really put myself at a disadvantage having a license and trying to target these off market deals.