Some of them have gone on to write books and are regular conference speakers on Bitcoin.  

If you're looking to list REO properties, then there are several sources, REORenegades is a great source, and REOMAC conferences and dinners (to network), along with the National REO Brokers Association www.nrba.com.

Self defense training, situational awareness, pepper spray and de-escalation are all good.

Also note the condition of the unit, room by room, on the move-in check list.These are your primary defense EVIDENCE exhibits to be presented in court to counter the tenants claim(s) of non-habitable condition.

A PM would have the simple defense of "no one wanted to book".Unfortunately, I am probably minimizing the challenges faced by the STR PM as I am not in that space.

Ignorance IS a defense in residential, and one a party can file a class action lawsuit on because that's much of what just happened nationally.

For non-primary residences, they have to follow all of the following rules to receive a permit: - the property must be a minimum of one (1) acre in size (designed as a precaution to disturbances)- The building standards of the underlying zone district must be met - Adequate parking is provided - Defensible Space requirements are met - Valid water and sanitation must be demonstrated - No more than five (5) bedrooms are in the dwelling As time goes on, they continue to become more strict on the rules listed above here, and are actively regulating it.

Building a solid network by going to meetups, conferences, building connections with like minded investors, lenders, property managers, investor-friendly RE agents, is a great place to start. 

These people should have been out a month ago. 3) They should have a procedure for repairs and evictions that would have prevented this last minute “We asked for repairs” defense. 

You will definitely learn a lot here - reading books and listening to podcasts, attending local meetups and conferences are all great ways to learn, gain advice, share thoughts and network!