Also, I personally knew people having success in that area so I was a little more comfortable jumping in on the first one. 

I don't think i have much advice to offer since I'm not at this level yet, but its comforting seeing people with large portfolios in CT. 

.), Designing and Furnishing (amenities, design, theme, linens, etc), and operating (Insurance, Property management or self-management, Tech & Tools, Cleaners & handy people, etc)All of these could be covered depending on who you work with that can cover each topic. 

@Greg Moore I read far too much about massive hacks to be comfortable investing in cryptocurrency

Since you're a U.S. citizen living abroad, non-QM (non-qualified mortgage) programs designed for foreign nationals might be an ideal solution for your situation.

Conventional mortgages are designed for individuals to purchase homes, not for businesses.

You'll need to compare apples to apples. 40k seems like a low number to design, furnish and amenitize a competitive short term rental projected to do $100k. 

The hard parts are ensuring you can have a home that can be licensed for as many residents as possible (comfortably) and finding a well qualified operator to lease it to.

ROBS designed to invest retirement funds into an active business.

Never thought I'd be in this position at the beginning of 2020, so I thank the program and community for propelling me to step outside my comfort zone to THINK BIG.