@Mario Reyes No one here has access to what is in your lease agreement, so we don't know what liability you may or may not have in this instance.

When you find a house you like, review the deed to make sure there are no deed restrictions on renting it as a STR. 

Although I have some cash saved up, I don't have enough for my first deal so am considering some options with my primary residence in order to have access to additional capital. 

@Brian Kempler In my area (Massachusetts and New Hampshire) Most banks have a 6-12 month seasoning period if you're looking to access the after repair value (ARV) of the property.

Is it finding deals, finding buyers, good comps (especially without direct MLS access)?

@Carter WallaceWell, a joint tenancy or tenancy in common is generally much more "restrictive" on what/how you control the passing of the interests.. 

This usually involves driving around the area I am interested in, at different times of the year and times of day, to get a sense of what kind of neighborhoods they are, flooding, seasonal access/closings, etc. 

Can i request access to a visual inspection of the house?

However you need to check the zoning restrictions for STVRs in your neighborhood.

Also, if at some point i decide not to sell the property or build as an investment but instead to build my primary residence on it, are there any tax restrictions, issues, etc?