The key is balancing cost with the value of your time—both approaches can work, depending on your priorities.

Typically, crime is going to be present in a lot of the areas where #'s make sense, but the key is making sure the house you are buying does not have obvious crime ridden houses in the immediate area.

A good team (agent, contractor, lender) is also going to be key.

The other key is to come to town and buy something quickly.

If you are looking for cashflow, the key is to transition the equity you have into assets that provide a higher return on equity (ROE).

Networking is key in real estate, and there are plenty of investors here who can share local insights and opportunities.

The key is to accurately reflect the type of income/expenses and the timing of everything.

There’s a lot of opportunity locally, but one of the 3 keys to success in STR investing is having enough cash to do them properly.  

(probably the biggest key).

Sorry to say so after the fact, but you need to learn some landlording basics.Never give the keys to anyone without a proper signed lease.