In your situation, it sounds like the primary focus for you is more a quality of life play (reducing your commute time), and the STR may allow you to break even cash flow wise? 

_____________________________________________________________Recommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a Class A property in Class D area, what quality of tenant will you get?

Similar to Realtor.com the leading real estate company Zillow announced it will disclose climate risk features such as: flood, fire, wind, heat and air quality risks.

agreed  quality paid off rentals are about as solid as you can get.. not only that you have less maintenance and turn over for the same income.. what one misses is appreciation if thats your goal.. more props that all appreciate more wealth depends on your situation..

What was the lead quality?

Conducting tenant reference checks is crucial for ensuring you find high-quality tenants who respect your property and pay rent on time.

It will be a quality, move in ready home for a first time home buyerDid you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

Quality renters are responsible pet owners who will not allow their animals to destroy a home or take responsibility if something happens.

I recognize most accountability groups (exception for the one mentioned above) cost less than $40k (however the cost is annual, versus the mentorship/training is one time), but why is it ok to pay for an accountability group and not a mentorship/training assuming the mentorship/training is decent quality?  

It's true that it is much harder to find quality tenants during the holidays, so factor that in.