And spending my summers where 25k was a big city 20 miles away I love your classification of a 900k city as small. 

Per the ROC rules, it must be relevant to the license classification you are applying to, so it may be a stretch to use your van building experience for a GC license.

I think in the past maybe it might not have been too bad depending on the classification, but with the new Risk Rating 2.0 system driving flood insurance premium prices up exponentially, I'm wondering if anyone has firsthand experience that they can speak to.

As long as you are actively participating in its management, as the IRS calls it,  "material participation", it is considered an active investment without RE Professional classification. 

Maybe something like property taxes double due to a new classification causing the amounts to increase. 

When I signed leases for long term tenants, the property tax classification went back to residential.

An election to change classification from a corporation to a partnership will be treated as if the corporation distributed all of its assets and liabilities to its shareholders in liquidation and the shareholders then immediately contributed all of the distributed assets and liabilities to a new partnership.For more information, see Contribution of Property in Pub. 541 and Distributions to Shareholders in Pub. 542."

Rents seem high for a neighborhood classification like that but definitely differs by the area. 

A new wrinkle I still havnt seen the map of is a new zoning classification RSA-6. 

:Exemptions and special classifications in Escambia County:Regular Homestead ExemptionAdditional Homestead ExemptionOver 65 [Senior] Homestead ExemptionWidow/Widower ExemptionMedical Disability ExemptionVeteran Partial Disability ExemptionTotal Disability ExemptionVeteran’s Total Disability ExemptionVeteran’s DiscountMilitary Homestead ExemptionAssessment Reduction for Living Quarters of Parents or GrandparentsTangible Personal Property ExemptionAssessment Limitation on Non-homestead PropertiesSave Our HomesPortability of Save Our Homes BenefitWholly and Economic Development ExemptionAgricultural ClassificationEverywhere is a little bit different.