Natural disasters, rent control, ordinances, against STR's, taxes etc all pose risk to investors in real estate.

I have seen some loan products for a second home that only allow it to be rented for 180 days as well. 

Also your finishing work unless you are a natural will look less than professionalThe way to not get taken advantage of is to have multiple quotes, detailed contracts, and to do your homework on construction.Construction projects are as high risk, high reward, as D class inverting.

As you mentioned, this also opens up the option of using a low down conventional loan product vs FHA.

Something I specifically am passionate about is helping other people, so naturally I am excited to be a landlord.

Built after 1976, you filed a 433 or we get you "doing" the process, own land, full doc, do have a few NonQM products as well, can do...

There are some pretty nice discounts on many products and services offered as Perks to BP members that you might want to check out: https://www.biggerpockets.com/perks/pro

But I figure contacting them directly has little chance of being productive.

It's natural to be scared about something you've never done before? 

Hope this helps. doing ride share at night will be more financially rewarding then trying to wholesale without substantial cash to pay for marketing and no experince in real estate and sales.. but also does not mean your not a natural and get lucky and it works.. just be careful to go into debt and it does not work and your worse off than you are now.