My suggestion is, follow their advice. Start as an in home business. When the business takes off, you run out of room. Or neighbors complain, then open a store front. Why deal with out of pocket expense, before you generate income.
The neighbors have already complained, my family's in home business have been going on for 4 years, right now is probably a good time. Just need to find a place that is relatively close to where my family lives, so we don't lose clients by moving too far.