One option is do a cash out refinance on your current home and use that money as a down payment and vacate the home to transition it into a rental. 

one almost hit the house after a storm.3. make sure when you run the numbers on Texas properties to account for the increase in property taxes year over year.4. before you buy in a new area be sure you establish some kind of relationship with an electrician, plumber, handyman, gardener, roofer Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

You should be able to find one within a month.

Second floor unit has one bedroom and one bathroom.

Looking at purchasing one of these.

Is my understanding correct, or is the municipality actually able to prevent one from replacing or adding additional homes on existing pads?

For the record, I have read:- Loopholes of Real Estate by Gary Sutton- Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki- Investing in Real Estate with Little to no Money Down by Brandon Turner- Tax Strategies for the Savvy Real Estate Investor by Han & McFarland- The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel- The Book on Rental Property Investing (first book I've read here) by Brandon Turner- The Millionaire Real Estate Investor by Gary KellerReading has been my biggest source for knowledge and Brandon Turner has become one of my favorite authors now!

They are more common in college towns I don't think you are in one, also with a duplex you shouldn't run into that or boarding house regulations but better safe if you are building something. 

We are new to investing, we would like to live in one unit and rent out the other three however I haven’t seen any four Plex for sale in the area and one really awful duplex.

And so I talked to the loser condo board and the one board member said said it's not like we can just make the guy open up his shower floor just because you think he has a leak.