Could be the just todays market environment.

In this environment I wouldn't put all my eggs in the STR basket.If your insentent on this then you must put a lot of effort into vetting the area, the rules, the property etc to make absolutely sure a given property will cashflow with conservative numbers and what your exit strategy per property is if they don't go as anticipated.

For stocks, in this environment, I would only own large cap companies with a solid history of increasing dividends year after year, and reinvest the dividends which decreases your cost basis over time.

Put the deal making to the side for a while and read some of the classics, like Napoleon Hill's 'Grow Rich with Peace of Mind.'

But it’s been really great having them in this environment/ touching on the investment life education (ex; we live upstairs ..’shh no jumping and running..it’s late and we have tenants’) / starting our family here. 

In a volatile interest rate environment the cap rates have significant lag time in reflecting the interest rate at which the property can secure.

Have fun collecting from someone who peaced out a month ago.3) A landlord/manager should have reasonably priced resources, because not every repair bill is paid by a tenant.I would definitely not put basic faucet replacement in the same category of plumbing as soldering pipe joints behind a wall or installing pressurized systems.

Are there any resources here that can help me create an investor-friendly agent environment so I'm not turning away investors due to misunderstandings on both our parts?

Optimized doesn't just mean your digital environment, but all the basics like making sure the rooms look photogenic and have an Instagrammable moment, having backups off all bedding and replaceable items so your property always looks like the pictures, setting up strategic partnerships with local businesses, tour guides, etc...As far as management - make sure to have a handful of cleaners and contractors on good terms. 

Having that fixed rate would definitely give you some peace of mind, and stretching the payment over 30 years could seriously boost your cash flow.