If so, are your amenities worth the extra price?

You are not paying for their services and won't cost you anything extra anyways. 

After adding an extra bedroom and bathroom and rehabbing the house, I was well over budget.

If your average heating bill is $150, you may not collect enough in the winter months when the bill reaches $225 but you'll collect extra in the summer when it drops to $65.

Setting up direct bookings is a great way to save on fees, but you’re right—it requires extra effort to ensure everything runs smoothly.For vetting guests, start by asking a few questions when they inquire, like the purpose of their stay, how many people will be there, and if they’ve stayed in short-term rentals before.

Some owners are willing to miss out on thousands of dollars just for a chance at a couple extra hundred dollars.

Eventually people die off and the homes go up for sale cheap, get abandoned and the park owner picks em up cheap and takes in the extra little bit of cash for the POH rental. 

If you don't have the extra cash, can you get creative with a private lender or partner stacked on bank debt? 

Most investors let the tenants pay down the mortgage and use extra money for their down payment on their next rental.  

McKinney is thriving, but so are other parts of North Texas, and a broader perspective could reveal other great opportunities.Here’s what I’ve observed managing a significant number of rentals in the area:Bedrooms and Layouts:3-bed, 2-bath homes consistently attract the largest pool of tenants and have the highest occupancy rates.4-bedroom homes have grown in demand, especially with the rise of remote work, as tenants look for extra space to use as a home office.Square footage is less critical than number of beds and baths.Supply and Demand:McKinney’s growth is driving demand, but the quality of the location matters greatly.