It seems to me that they all whether paid of free, will all have the same exact amount of houses because all the transactions are all public and so they seem to compete with each other based on the quality of the data of the houses, how up to date it is, and the user experience in configuring the how the layout is.

@Nick HulmeMaking improvements to your primary to make it high quality enough to rent above market rents, rent it.

DSCR loans are not that low and regular hard money loans will be in the double digits.

I have lumber liquidators, home Depot, Lowe's, and who knows what else near me (central CT).

McKinney is thriving, but so are other parts of North Texas, and a broader perspective could reveal other great opportunities.Here’s what I’ve observed managing a significant number of rentals in the area:Bedrooms and Layouts:3-bed, 2-bath homes consistently attract the largest pool of tenants and have the highest occupancy rates.4-bedroom homes have grown in demand, especially with the rise of remote work, as tenants look for extra space to use as a home office.Square footage is less critical than number of beds and baths.Supply and Demand:McKinney’s growth is driving demand, but the quality of the location matters greatly.

Keeping it friendly and low intensity is more likely to be successful.I recently offered to completely replace my neighbor's fence next to my rental and they said "No".

Locally my observation is that the need is more for low income young and working vs college student.

It looks like you are right to be concerned about the low season as occupancy drops below 50% for most of the year  

I’ve reviewed a number of theses DST’s across numerous asset classes  and there performance /returns are generally fairly low and unimpressive. 

He prides himself on having "realistic" standards and claims to value inner qualities over appearance.