My suggestions:* Requiring code compliance and safety equipment is absolutely valid and should be part of the regulations* Requiring owners live within 15 miles is not necessary since poor hosts whether they're local or distant will violate the 3-5 warning system and earn a suspension.

I flipped and did some buy and hold when I lived in Florida.   

Rodrigues' recommendation may change this), but my next question would be, are there any cities/markets where 1 of the following are true: 1) You have family/friends that live there, 2) You travel there frequently (either for vacation, work, etc.), or 3) Somewhere else you've lived before AND know the area well?

Will you be living in the property? 

well if I ever make it to the Smokies to see what the draw is  I will rent a condo then :)  I am just guess but I suspect folks that go there want to be in the woods and hear the birds and maybe some local mtn views etc.. or some sort of privacy they never get at home out east were there is not very much public lands close to where they live in the big city. ????

@Kyle Trotman, for local conventional lenders, feel free to message me, and I can provide a few points of contact who may be able to assist.

I am happy to assist.

Use tools like the VA loan for house hacking and your Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) to cover living costs while building equity.

Starting out, buy a shabby condo and live-in/flip it.

I have not lived in the property two years and feel that any profit I may make on a sale would get chewed up by closing costs and capital gains.