Graduating College and want to get right into REI!

[Brandon Monaghan]

I just graduated college and this summer I will be looking for vacation rental properties in the USVI, Puerto Rico, and Central America with a focus on Costa Rica.  I have many questions but I want to figure out what some key elements to a successful vacation rental are.

I am also considering potentially moving there and buying a duplex vacation rental or something similar so that I can live in one part and rent out the other.  

In general is this profitable enough to live off of or is other work or REI necessary/recommended?

Any and all comments, please!