I heard that phrase a while back (I think it was a BP podcast) and it stuck with me.This has been a long time coming, but my wife & I finally worked ourselves to a position to make that decision. 

if you can tell the future with 100% accuracy sure it would be an easy decision. and yes, for some buying down a 1-3 points can absolutely make sense.  

Happy to share my experience to help you make the decision. 

It has a lower turnover than STR but can bring in higher rent than traditional leases.Co-Living Arrangements: Renting rooms individually on a month-to-month basis could generate more income than a single long-term lease while reducing management hassle.Furnished Long-Term Rental: A furnished rental could allow for higher rent and attract tenants who don’t want the STR commitment but still value flexibility.Partner with a Local Boutique STR Manager: Some local companies manage STRs with lower fees than Airbnb's traditional managers and could help keep profits up without 20% fees.Hope that helps you with your decision!

I know this may be an individual decision ultimately, but what types of land did you purchase, or what regions, or what characteristics and why?  

I first need to see their place before I make a decision. 

Making significant management decisions b.

That may be true, but don't make those decisions before sitting down with her as a family and showing her all of the properties, what they make, what their liabilities are, what their values are, and where they are.

But did not plan on a $Trillion dollar asset base decision to be made by an idiot.  

The BRRRR method and mid-term rentals are solid strategies, and you’ll find plenty of insights here to help guide your decisions.