So if I understand sub to, you're basically assuming the mortgage.

unfortunately this marketing specialist was NOT a specialist in marketing for real estate businesses, did not understand the unique requirements and characteristics of real estate, and hence implemented their “generic” on line marketing program.  

There are a couple of unique tax laws to real estate investors - 1031 exchange, bonus depreciation on certain improvements, Qualified Opportunity Zones, real estate professional status, etc.Make sure that the accountant you interview to understand the above concepts.best of luck!

If both houses were sold in 2024 then the loss will negate the profit from my understanding.

The more rehabs you do the better understanding you will have of the market for contacting work and materials.Doing a rehab every so often prevents you from being sharp with your budget.For those with limited exposure, ask others in the industry and always run your numbers based on being overbudget and overtime. 

A quote with no cost breakdown can definitely be a red flag—it makes it harder to understand what you’re paying for and leaves room for unexpected costs to pop up.

As someone actively investing in STRs and looking to scale, this raises some concerns for me about the long-term viability of this strategy.I understand the tension between hotels and STRs, especially in popular tourist destinations, but I’m curious:How real is this threat?

Just a follow up question, were you utilizing debt to invest, I have always been taught since a young age to try and not utilize debt (I come from a family of stock market investors, traditional business owners) where debt is not utilized as frequently which I obviously understand debt can be a very powerful tool and utilized in a great way its just something I want to avoid with my investments to an extent any suggestions for investing without debt or as little as possible. 

I thoroughly understand what you mean.  

I understand I cannot legally require them to respond, unless the notice specifically requires it, like for instance, a notice of entry, but it's making it difficult to manage the property, and I'm not sure how to proceed.