Looks like the carport is added to the house as part of adding Square Feet in the past which has not been done efficiently.

Also, when you do decide to partner up, ensure that you have a thorough attorney who will detail various clauses in the partnership's operating agreement. 

The presence of such retailers ensures we compare affluent neighborhood nationwide.We can use census data to determine the areas that are growing the fastest over the period 2000-2015 and then see for each MSA in which postcode those retailers are located.Using Zillow home value data by postcode, it is then possible to retrieve the median price and rent per sqft and figure out the gross rental yield in those most attractive areas.

My question...while both the Zillow and TransUnion say that they are employed, am I over-stepping any boundaries by asking them for either an employment letter or their last pay stub to ensure that they are STILL employed, given the conditions right now?  

Where is the safest/most efficient place to put the money while we continue to save?

(I checked to ensure this was legal and the real estate commission and my lender both agreed it was legal.)

Summary - Be conservative in your numbers, stress test for worst case scenarios, add a rehab contingency, get your long-term financing options lined-up now instead of waiting until the the rehab is finished (and understand ALL contingencies they may have), ensure you have cash available in case things don't go as planned, have cash to cover holding costs and reserves, have ARV comps lined-up and validated by a realtor...the list goes on. 

I would like to introduce these features to improve efficiency and rent collection.

Rehabs need to be efficient; quick time table, stay on budget and high quality workmanship.

You'll also want to ensure you have a good property manager to look after the upkeep of the property if you are not there to notice anything deteriorating or which may need attention.This article goes into a lot of the considerations about whether to form an LLC or not: https://www.mmpph.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/May-2019-newsletter.pdfCreating an LLC in California would cost you a minimum tax of $800 every year.