Here's a bit from the Las Vegas website on short term rentals.

You are WAY too eager to leave your job for investing when investing takes years to deliver a return comparable to your job unless you have a bank vault of money to play with.

I've heard of mentees who started cleaning up construction areas on a flip at the end of each work day or picking up supplies at Home Depot and delivering them to the job site.

Other than that there are websites you should have access to that shows you owner history, % of equity and other helpful data.

You probably didn't read the contract, their lease agreement, or their website, and you didn't know how to interview them.

You may have a way out if the contract states that the house had to be delivered vacant.

There are lots of application websites that charge the tenant but not the owner.

Without being a licensed mortgage professional some of these tools would not be available or more likely at the disposal of the marketplace and the 'research' or relationships they've cultivated with statistically limited mortgage experience..even as a professional great mortgage brokers and companies are hard to find...With 65%+ of residential transactions still involving a loans, real estate professionals with expertise in real estate financing will deliver enhanced value to their clients.  

I will definitely be exploring this great website and checking out the books you recommended as well.

Websites like Zillow, Redfin, and Realtor.com offer great insights into home prices, trends, and inventory levels.