I have found myself defaulting toward larger, national banks/brokerages because of their resources, product offerings, and potential.  

We've decided to take our aesthetic to Dallas, for several reasons both business and personal but we're excited for this next chapter of building.Outside of real estate, we like to take our dogs to the beach/park, try new foods and sharpen our RE skills.

I agree Don and in my earlier days in Northern CA brokerage activity it was common for listing agent to take less than selling agent.. when I moved North to OR WA it was the opposite listing agent would take a larger cut and they would justify it saying they did that because they had to pay for advertising and marketing etc..

Better return vs risk. compared to the larger more expensive property.

Or, as of now I don't see anything that would prevent an option in which folks could take it a step further and move into their ADU, if they're willing to make a larger sacrifice, and rent out their main property as the STR.

My partner and I put in equity 50/50 and got hard money financing in the beginning to put less down, and then we either refinanced or 1031 exchanged into larger assets.

It does seem that rates are going down, and at some point like you say we will end up refinancing to a perhaps somewhat larger rate on a 1st position mortgage to consolidate.  

Any company insuring your properties without an inspection most likely has a clause buried deep in their policy allowing them to deny claims for conditions found on the property that do not meet their UW standards and they will deny you claim based on "the house should have not been insured with them anyway".Although the inspections can be annoying look at it from the other side.You pay them 1000 to 3000 a year to insure a rental property where they agree to pay out possibly hundreds of thousands of dollars if it burns down or up to 1 million if a tenant slips on a bananna peel and falls down the steps or the tenants dog bites someone and since you didn't enforce the tenant having their own renters policy to cover the dog bite the landlord's policy is paying out.The insurance company is very much like your rich uncle backing your business venture - you run the business, he takes on the financial risk from disasters, and doesn't even get a say in who lives in the property.Your rich uncle asking you to fix the steps, put up a handrail, etc which is in your and his best interest long term.Do you really want to rent out a property with a busted front step and a bad roof that is going to leak sooner than later?

I see people owning much larger housing space and paying more for heating, cooling, insurance!!

Larger, more unique do better.