This process also doesn't happen over night (its the government you're working with) but I can give you a break down of how everything went.The home owner contacted the fire dept. over a month in advance to before we ever stepped foot on the property.The house had been gutted of every single appliance in it (water heater, stove, dishwasher etc.) prior to the fire dept arriving,the Fire dept does not pay for the clean up for the property after the burn (at least our county doesn't)This is for a very specific situation but there are perks for the home owner for the demolition of the property.

@Daniel B. dude I recommend working with a CPA, not so much for the detailed answers they can give to your questions but so you can proactively strategize how to legally give the government as little of your money as possible.

The problem is scarcity exacerbated by local governments dissuading investment in new supply or the investment in improving existing inventory. 

I contemplated being a realtor and I came across Rich Dad, Poor Dad which guided me to the sector of real estate that I was most interested in.

Of course if you want to switch to different license type, you have to go through the whole application process again, and pay applicable fees.I believe this is governed by the accessory dwelling unit ordinance which was revised recently. 

How likely is the local government to honor a 70 year old variance?

As I'm sure you know energy has never been an open market, every form of energy receives significant government support, and solar is no different in that regard. 

I understand this is some type of federal government assistance program for low income areas.

What's vastly different is the property tax, school zoning, and commuter costs.I am very new to RE investing, but my hunch tells me that if the main source of funding for schools in a given school district is the properties and not a commercial sector, this will eat into the potential appreciation.

Bonus points for more recession proof industries (health care, government jobs, education)Median income over $40k (your tenants need to be able to pay the rent)Average home price over $100kLow unemployment rateLow housing vacancy rateMarket with a strong affordability factorLandlord friendly  Those are just some examples.