Hi all! Rookie investor here trying to explore new avenues of wealth generation for myself and my young family. A little about me, I work in NYC and live in Long island. I have a 401K that I max out and am close to paying off the mortgage on my primary residence.

During the pandemic the family and I took advantage of STR's primarily in Poconos PA and the Hudson valley in New York and grew to love the idea of owning and running a rental as well as having a place for the family to go every now and then to unwind. I've read in several places that oversaturation is occurring in most STR markets and that profitability isn't as great as it once was but those same sources also keep touting the merits of owning a STR when done right. I'm currently working through Avery Carl's STR boot camp and getting the tools ready to help me run a successful STR . I also fully recognize that STRs are not passive investments and require a lot of time and effort until I can begin to automate it.

I've been primarily looking in the Poconos as that is a destination that is familiar to me and one of which my family has been to many times. Going through past posts I've see some advise against going there while others say that there is still opportunity there. Now that the pandemic is winding down is that still the case? Can you currently run a successful Airbnb there?

So I guess my question boils down to whether the Poconos is a worthwhile investment in todays market or whether I should set my sights elsewhere? I would love to hear from those who currently invest in the area so I can understand the benefits and pitfalls of running a rental there as well as what to look out for when searching for my first property. I'm also in the process of putting together a team to help me realize my goals (I realize that the Poconos refers to a large area with many townships) and would definitely appreciate any recommendations.

I'm very grateful for this community and would appreciate any feedback whether pro or against! I would also welcome hearing of lessons learned through experience with your first STR that you can't get from a book or blog post. Thankyou!

New York City, New York

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