I make it a personal goal to never turn down help.

I have a 2-person unit with a glass top dining table and it has worked well.

From experience, I’d recommend getting pre-approved, improving your debt-to-income ratio if needed, and researching local assistance programs.

Choose a goal so ambitious it forces you to grow into the person who can achieve it.

But the real secret to making money in real estate is finding the right properties at the right price—and that's where off-market deals come in.Off-market properties typically cost less than those listed on the MLS because sellers are often motivated by reasons other than price, like financial distress or personal circumstances.

Just my personal opinion - get a mentor or a person who already has good experience running STR business, preferably in your area (but not 100% required). 

That would be a separate mortgage and not what amounts to a second loan on your personal residence, which if you have spouses, they might not be that into. 

Of course have your costs researched first bc the buyer will want to know how much it will cost them to buy.

The GC is a business person who doesn't care about your ARV, LTV, or your budget.

This is our boilerplate language:Insurance: Tenant should obtain a renters’ policy of insurance on their personal property.