We don’t believe in pressuring anyone into making decisions, and we encourage potential partners to do their due diligence.Real-World ExperienceYou’re right – hands-on experience is invaluable in real estate.

Try looking into zillow/Redfin and see what your potential rents you can get near the neighborhood by filtering the bedrooms/bathrooms of the intentional property that you are planning to buy.

Even if you wont buy that property you could always find the end buyer and make some money along the way. 

Cost Seg illustrations - even when (1) they're accurate and (2) formatted in a way that fosters an accurate understanding of the potential benefits - only illustrate deductions.

I have to figure out the cost/investment of building a home from scratch vs potential rental income, etc. 

I think the reason why they suggest this is in order to avoid any potential lawsuits regarding Fair Housing Laws. 

The more property you inspect, the more of an expert you will become in your area.Once you feel comfortable with inspecting properties, learning the right questions to ask, understanding your local market, and HOW to evaluate each potential deal, THEN you will know a good opportunity when you stumble upon it.You can transfer those skills into looking at other markets and will have some clues as to what makes a good deal.

Too few details to answer (Of course this varies county by county, all questions could be answered by reading the (zoning)/building code and/or clarified with a visit to the county planning office).but some clarifications because: lots of things are "tiny homes" but what you describe small houses "on permanent foundations" needs to be clarified , tiny homes could be:-stick built, see below. check your county code/planning dept-stick built cabins/recreational, a specific zoning and potential occupancy/etc restrictions but worth looking into where the zoning allows for it -hud manufactured homes (smaller singlewide perhaps 400sq ft 600sq ft minimum)-non-hud park models (on axles), ansi standards- other "RV's" built on a chassis:  organizations, state agencies, etc - will certify factory built (or sometimes inspected professional built) tiny homes on chassis - to whatever standards ansi, riva, dot/ l&i?

If you find a good deal, buyers will come.

First, there are a TON of great deals in the city and Detroit has so much potential.