For example, maybe a house hack where you are offsetting your housing expense allows you to live in the heart of three key quality of life factors (Where you work, where you leisure, and where you shop).

Most homeowners shift to winter rentals during those months to keep some cash flow.If you’re planning to use the property yourself for two weeks in the summer, it’s important to keep in mind that it will take away a significant chunk of prime revenue, which will make it harder to break even or generate solid income.If year-round traffic is a key factor for you, you might want to look into areas down south or near a National Park, but with the right property and strategy, Cape Cod can still be a good investment—especially if you’re looking to have something to enjoy and eventually leave to your kids. 

Otherwise, someone who just abandons a rental would be liable for rent FOREVER!!!

This doesn't mean you stop investing in those areas, it just means you need to factor that into underwriting and be prepared for it.

If you understand and know how to use software like Quickbooks you can do your bookkeeping forever on your own if you want to.

At the same time, I fear that a new tenant might stay there for ever and interfere with the sale at a future date.

We don't believe you can automate property management--you're absolutely right the business is hyper-local and other factors you listed. 

Lenders will look at factors like:Debt-to-Income Ratio (DTI): Your mortgage payment might be around 30% of your gross monthly income.

This can help offset costs and improve your financial position.Cash Flow- Calculate all expenses related to both properties (mortgages, property taxes, maintenance, insurance) and ensure you have a positive cash flow.Vacancy Rates- Factor in potential vacancies when estimating rental income.

Local laws may also include protections based on other factors such as source of income or eviction history.Disclosure Requirements: If you are using third-party screening services like SmartMove or another credit reporting agency, you must provide the applicant with an "adverse action" notice if you deny them based on the results.