The last thing you want to do is shop it yourself, have no clue on the bank's closing rate, and guidelines, and pay for an expensive appraisal with no loan. 

This is 100% true.

true cash flow is only going to come either (1) after many years of ownership, when the property is stable and rents have gone up; or (2) with a completely different, probably tougher strategy or niche.think about a down payment, closing costs, light repairs, rent ready costs, commission to the property management company, then you fix a dishwasher, then in year 2 the furnace goes.

Remember a true STR under the tax rules isn’t considered a real property trade or business.

Well of course they show a prop they bought in nowhere ville mid west for 10k and sold for 75k.. while i believe it was true .

Don't shop credit cards and mortgages at once, you ll create havoc for yourself.

All of the things I have been lead to believe so far have not been true.

Rather, it would look at the true NOI vs the P&I.

This is especially true in single family zoned areas.  

Don’t go penny shopping.