Anyone have experience working with them? 

Here is my list of the most dangerous real estate related investments for the “non professional” investor lacking direct knowledge  and experience in these investments 1.

I find it's very personal, and dependent a lot on your goals, resources, risk tolerance, location, experience, etc.

But I would remain open to long-term rental as an option as this seems like a more stable option in terms of income, again this may be my inexperience talking.However, I have always  been somewhat risk averse and investing in real estate is always a big venture, in my opinion/experience, in terms of capital.

You don't need to know everything to get started; you need a foundation to build on, and the rest will come through experience and then refining your education.You can build a basic understanding of investing in 3-6 months.

Quote from @Elam Fisher Jr: Anyone have experience with mid term rentals in Baltimore city?  

@Colby Burns  Agreed regarding the PM side with them (A member of my spouses family had a horrible experience with them)  Regarding the construction side, I cannot speak to. 

Also, if you have construction experience, leverage that when talking to investors.

Focus on smaller single-family homes, condos with low HOA fees, or multi-family properties in these regions, and build a reliable local team of agents, property managers, and other professionals to ensure a smooth investing experience.

You'll most likely still need a coborrower at first, but may be able to refi them out of the deal in a year or two once you have qualifying experience and operating history - then you can likely use all of the rental income towards your gross income.