Assuming you don’t meet the 500 hour test, you will likely need to document the time of others spent working on your property.In addition, you need to have guests at your property as well.Until you are 100% sure you can utilize the short term rental loophole, I’d wait to do the cost segregation study.

When your tax professional prepares your 990t they will utilize the Cost Seg to minimize the UDFI tax. 

I am putting it up on Facebook, Craigslist, etc. but is there anything else a newbie can utilize that you have found success with?

Maybe they work for the fiber company and they want to put some kind of utility hub there.   

A couple of things in regards to saving on taxes by utilizing depreciation correctly.

See when materials get delivered, etc.This last one is debatable but It works for me.Not utilizing rewards or cash back credit cards during renovation projects to maximize ROI.

My neighbor is renting her Jr.attached ADU: 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 825sq -furnished- $2500/mo (utilities incl./ current tenant renting for 6mo).LOFTI have plenty of land for detached ADU /their own yard, driveway & entry with the goal of a 1 bedroom/1 full bathroom downstairs & a bedroom/powder room upstairs <so 1 & 1/4 bath>...

@Jason Porto6-12 Months of Expenses: Many investors aim to have 6–12 months of property expenses (mortgage, insurance, utilities, and maintenance) saved. 

Since you said both units are rented, I'm assuming you are utilizing the LTR strategy?

I'm used to paying a 10% management fee in other markets that covers the costs of paying utilities, etc., but RHR charges $10 per bill payment, a fee for renewing rental registration, fuel surcharges for service calls, etc.