Thank you all, you guys are so supportive!!

A parcel split in Florida typically involves filing a parcel split request form with the county property appraiser's office, and before you file it, you get the survey work done and find out if the relevant building or development department will support your request or not.

ANY advice or feedback or support is going to be EXTREMELY appreciated!

There are quite a few ways to take matters into your own hands, but you won't get support for those here.

Even though there are numerous ways to do this, this is a start. 

I have heard numerous horror stories about problem tenants, and I want to do my due diligence and limit that risk.

Not trying to deter you at all, this is an awesome niche that I'd love to explore too, but I think to do so you'd need to be buying in a very expensive area which allows the ADU and where rents/value added support the cost of construction.

I want to thank the BP community for being extremely helpful and supportive to each other.

Is asking me to install a support railing on those steps.Who pays for this?

Over the years working as an architectural designer and now as a structural engineer I have dealt with numerous projects that have been built without permits.