The rent is $2345+$50 pet fee excluding utilities.

Here’s a short and incomplete list of ways I’ve either utilized myself or financed investors who utilized to create a high cash flow investment. 1.

Do you have zoning permits, building permits, utility approvals?

That's three months of mortgage and utilities, the cost of flooring, and the cost of painting.

You get an estoppel from each tenant saying this is how much rent I’m paying, this is how big a security deposit I gave, here’s who pays for utilities, when my lease ends, etc etc. 

There is capital in the system to be utilized. 

Or that they’ll be able to use a highly sophisticated technique that can really only successfully be utilized when all the stars align and in circumstances that occur irregularly and need to be recognized as such, always by an experienced real estate investor.  

I've been thinking about how to best utilize my current residence.

You point to contractors suggesting specific mortar materials being used but can you identify in the building code a requirement that these recommended mortar materials are utilized?

Remember your costs will be more for an STR, you'll be paying for a lot of things you wouldn't with an LTR - higher STR insurance, all utilities including internet, supplies like toilet paper, paper towels, dishwasher detergent etc, upkeep on furniture and linens if damaged, yard maintenance and grass cutting/snow removal, trash removal, etc.