Soo, do I get clever and find the right opportunities to get started, perhaps find a partner who has the pieces I don’t or do I take a solid year or so and whip my credit into shape and lock down some income?

Furnishing/linens/appliances can be costly and are more than a one day experience to acquire.

I know all about toilet paper, linens, toiletries, coffee, and the basics.

I looked at Podio, Clever Investor Deal Automator, and others but nothing sticks with me. 

Clever that Chris Johnson waits until the end of the day, when we are probably tired and overwhelmed with information about Grant funding, that he goes into overdrive with the sales pitch for a company which has a fairly good reputation, but his information was misleading and his associate from the United States (who did most of the presentation for Melaleuca) just rammed information at us. 

And I'm paying SDGE, cable, internet, linens, toilet paper, etc, etc.

That is about $35,000 a year.I consider STR dollar to be worth abiut 0.75 of a LTR dollar (listing site commission, credit card fee, providing linens, cleaning, coffee and other service, more time involved, higher insurance cost, PM possible, etc etc.So i project about 34% annual return against the original price of house with a lot less work And as a tourist town, there are more and more BRs each month and less and less rooms/apartments available.

I like your whole comment but the part matching the 911 payment with donation is very nice and clever, definitely I am going to remember it for the better days!!

There isnt really some clever way around this.

We provide all bedding and linens, and do the turnover before and after the masters guests arrive/depart.