Are there specific standards or common practices that seem to set certain areas apart?

I personally know a real estate broker that has done such.  

They keep the group small so you're not a faceless person and you can get questions directly answered.

Pete/Tampa area on unrelated persons living together in a home?

If the same person is willing to cut it down for free in exchange for the wood, I'd let them do it.

I’m finally ready to take the plunge into real estate investing, but with two kids, I’m nervous to use any of my own cash for the first project. Any tips on how to navigate this?

Hello all. Hope I can learn some good information on here.

The losses could be used against other sources of passive income and that is it.If it is a standard self storage model, and thus treated as rental income, then in order to get anything other than passive treatment you would needs REPS status. 

If I were you I’d replace the system with whatever is standard in your market.

Every room has a few pieces of furniture/personal belongings.