Any recommendations on who can do the reno? 

Fannie mae allows you to transfer your loan into an LLC, but it is recommended that you speak to your loan servicer and ask that if they themselves will allow you to do so.

I have a separate short term rental insurance policy (insurance agent recommended short term policy over long term since it's ultimately being used as a short term rental) Curious if that is the same as the Airbnb $1M liability insurance or if they have a separate one

Moreover, I would recommend prioritizing a W2 position over 1099 self-employment/sales for two reasons.

If you are a beginner I would recommend staying on platform.I get more scam attempts on VRBO, a lot of people offering to pay by company check. 

If it’s doable financially I’d recommend the duplex.

If the guest feels slighted, there is no fact checking service provided by AirBnB to confirm their claims, so it is up to you to let future guests know the level of professionalism you provide.If you are able, I would recommend editing your response to the 1-star review.

Bigger Pockets is a great place for education and networking and is full of great content.I recommend that you check out the following resources:1.

While the 6% property tax can seem high, I’d recommend looking at the full picture.

I highly recommend them to handle all the business structuring.