The answer is based on your goals.Short-term goals are tough. 

My take on this is to underwrite purchases based on expected LTR rents (I like rentometer and the BP's own rental estimator), but start charging 1.5x that rent for your MTR.

In Texas we do not have real estate sales taxes but property taxes are high and also included in the proforma based on the 90 day holding period.4.

I see lots of cabins for sale but I’m concerned if the market is strong.

If you are thinking about a new purchase with a heloc vs a current 30 year fixed rate, this could be a good alternative.Basically, helocs are billed based on the average daily balance of the account.

I am not sure what tools you are using for your cash flow projections but it's possible to have a property that does not cash flow year 1 but will in year 2 or 3 and so on based on average historical appreciation in Austin TX. 

There are a million sites you can look at to get an idea based on more parameters.

It's a very local question based on the comps and active/recently sold inventory inside the community.

Your first step should be building a strong team: an investor friendly agent, lender, contractor, and property manager are key.

Cover your bases for starts and then get legal advice.