@Jon Haney It is a big hit to take but I am not sure going after the PM Is going to do much for you.

My advice, don't go for a homerun, a base hit is just fine.. buy something solid and get educated about your market.Its sounds like you are spreading yourself a little thin with all those markets to study. 

This does not account for the also large supply of new construction single family inventory hitting the market in 2024 and 2025. 

August was hit the hardest, which makes sense given that many schools in the Southeast, particularly in Georgia and South Carolina, started classes around August 1—about two weeks earlier than usual.

@Jay HinrichsI guess it's a good thing my stuff hasn't hit Ebay yet!

More importantly, as a first time builder, even with guidance, you are not going to hit your number.

I don't invest in that area, but I have also heard it is hard to find a space that is zoned properly while hitting the metrics STR investors may want.

Since you are looking for passive income from a rental to aid in your income once you hit FIRE & retire, I'd focus on building a portfolio that begins to build on that cash flow to replace your W-2 salary. 

When he finally answered, he hit me with, “Yeah, I’m not selling.

I no longer work from a place of scarcity.I set myself up for success and work from a place of abundance.I have built my cash buyer list to close to 5,000 buyers, invested into a coaching program for private lending, and developed multiple exit strategies to be ready for any situation that presents itself.It let's me earn $40k per deal consistently today and occasionally hit some $90k+ homeruns.Embrace your mistakes, learn from them, and adapt.This is the only way to grow.