As for why landlords aren’t more vocal, maybe it’s just a mix of feeling overwhelmed or unsure about how to fight back.

Do have currant registration as well as a Dr. letter stating that they are not pets but register therapy dogs."

If mixed in with your deposits and reserve funds, you may accidentally spend money you shouldn't have. 

A lot of people don't even know some of the more creative properties you can buy with a VA loan (like mixed use or even a 6 unit apartment complex if you combine VA entitlement with another soldier).

I hired a lawyer who wrote a letter and was able to negotiate loss of just 1 month of security deposit vs 3 months of rent that was earlier demanded by property management company.

Create a written policy for yourself, sample letters, forms, or whatever else may be needed.

So you get more deals than you can do without spending a dime on any business cards, letters, or anything else? 

If your doing a patch that uses cement for the finish compound then I would use a lightweight heavily sanded mix to do my patch.

I really like mixed-use.

its great that you are taking the leap into Real Estate investment, and Venice Florida, its an interesting market with its mix of vacation and long-term rental opportunities.Given the current market conditions you are describing - stagnant with a surplus of inventory - there might be some advantages to exploring both vacation and long term-rentals.