Specifically, short-term rentals can help you get REPS status.

I don't mean to be negative and obviously, you are going to do what you want to do, but to put it in perspective, I bought one of my 1st properties in 1990 (at a peak), and sold at a significant loss in 1997, due to specific circumstances.

For the most part vs focusing on a specific neighborhood or two I would say keep you options open to all. 

But for many people, it is one of a number of sources of deal flow, to add to MLS listings, wholesalers, direct owner outreach, auction, etc.Assuming you are specifically talking about sheriff auctions, just make sure you familiarize yourself with the general procedures for the auction.  

Curious...have you already identified a specific neighborhood in Findlay where you see the most potential, or are you still exploring the entire city?

This puts both you and them in an uncomfortable situation, as you are inferring that they didn’t already price it fairly.Don’t make a list of the flaws of the property and use that to try to talk the seller down.

On a positive note we did build a new house to the specifications of a specific tenant. 

However, this could also portend our own situation in a year's time if we take them. 

Specifically, Texas has some of the highest insurance and property taxes in the nation, but the appreciation makes up for those high costs in the long run.

figuring that if I track and work towards creating and "presenting" 250 specific deals to my clients.My Theory being: Tracking "deals presented" will pull forward the need to go search and find deals, and will also drive the deals closed and revenue numbers, so we shall see but logics out to me so I'm liking it so far.