I have a 780 credit score and no debt besides my personal residence.

I personally know several blue-collar millionaires from HVAC techs to plumbers.

My 4 personal STR's are all in San Antonio did over $575k in 2024 and on track for $650k in 2025.I think you are generally looking in the right areas, but there are a few things to keep in mind:1) Stay inside of 1604. 

I borrowed $30k on a personal loan from Discover for 15% with no fees for a plot of land and paid "cash" for it.

Conventional would allow you to add a fence or do yard work in your bid.I cannot lend to you personally in MA but happy to answer any general questions about the 203k or other Renovation loan programs!

Eliminate debt, establish a budget, and save.

But I find from personal experience and from my buyers' Airbnb experience that it's a bit of a hassle trying to get guests to rebook at the new listing.I don't know how strict Joshue Tree is at enforcement, but in Denver and Colorado Springs here, you could probably get away with an STR listing for three months without the license.

I would spend money to enhance and update to current standards the search functionality and person to person tagging so it's easier to find stuff.

All the add-ons are a la carte so you can definitely get a lot of value based on what you need.One thing I personally don't like is that when tenants pay rent, they are charged $1 per transaction for ACH use.

@Dave Tasset I haven't personally invested with this company but have heard good things about then. 7e Investments, Chris posts frequently on BP.