If the rental real estate activity has an average period of customer use of 7 days or less, or an average period of customer use of 30 days or less with substantial hotel like services provided, it is not a rental real estate activity under IRC Sec 469 and one can bypass the per se presumption and apply any of the material participation tests you previously cited for a passive/nonpassive determination.

Start looking at deals any way you can they are everywhere, scout prospective properties and gather the info you need when time permits. 

I'm currently using it to just put up a handrail for a rental permit inspection. 

Save the custom build until you're older and have lived in a few places.Look for a MFR (I think 3- or 4-unit properties are way better than duplexes), live there a few years, and then turn it into a pure investment property.

Well you need a source of deals, and a sheriff’s auction could work, I’ve seen a number of my customers be successful at that in NC.

And that may be a big assumption depending on the type of work the S Corp does and where your customers/clients are located. 

Amusement, outdoor (east of the Intracoastal Waterway only).Day Care Facilities.Any Use that is customarily associated with the Main Permitted Use or Special Exception.

Guests are my homeowners’ customers.

It may pay to keep them with one financial institution, as some banks provide lower interest rates on loans or reduce fees for customers with multiple accounts.

If I was in that type of situation however, I would probably need to find a way to obtain a W2 job that can provide an income to help fund my real estate investing but I would need to get creative with the types of jobs and know that these jobs are a temporary discomfort (food service jobs, customer service, in home-supportive services for developmentally disabled).