Looking forward to the knowledge that you vets can provide!! 

After I bought my place, I found a tenant on Craigslist.

I have bought hundreds of properties and have read every book that I could find on the subject.

@Jose Hernandez let me know how I can help. 

Other areas constantly threaten to curtail the ability to use homes for str whereas sevier county is based on the rental of cabins and they have zoning that can never be rescinded to guarantee it. 

Can anyone shed some light on what kind of down payment, terms and qualification requirements we would typically be looking at for an SBA or low down commercial loan?

So, yes, it can be the best time to buy as the sellers listing during the winter are often the most motivated.

@Alex Lee - A conventional renovation loan is not an FHA loan and requires a larger down payment...with the Homestyle renovation loan you can put down as low as 5%.If you can do Homestyle instead of FHA 203k, I think that is a bit easier since there are not as many regulations and requirements.  

Even after renting, you should check the market every month or so to keep an eye on prices, vacancy rates, etc.

You also could find a partner to do the operations so you can avoid the parts that stress you out.