I have a STR house in a resort town, but the city’s new stricter policies have really cut into my revenue.

What my accountant did is, she declared most of these as Capital Expenditures, then she turned around and depreciated them in one year per the 2017 tax cuts and jobs act.  

Some were excellent, others a total waste of time and money and bad advice. 

If you think you're going to call a seller and get them under contract with pure logic and numbers, forget it, you will waste all your time and money.I'm not a coach; I can only speak from experience.

Would it be better for me to go with cheap windows or is it possible for me to buy windows myself and have somebody install them and just cut out the middle man?

HECK NO, Also I do not by into that ABCD area thing, total waste of time.

An IRS lien, code violations (weed abatement, grass cutting, boarding windows-doors, and demolition costs), HOA fees, water- sewer bills all go along with the property providing the property has any of these. 

Due to higher taxes and home insurance rates, our cash flow has literally been cut in half.

Focus on saving for down payments, cutting expenses, and maintaining good credit behavior.

We are just refinancing a loan.Here’s how it works: You create an LLCYou buy a homeYour LLC gives you a loan for the homeYou file the deed for that loan at the county courthouseYou use the money from the LLC to buy and fix up the propertyOnce the property is completed, your conventional lender comes to refinance the loanYour conventional lender runs title and sees there is a loan.Your conventional lender refinances you into a new loan, and cuts a check to your LLC…a check in the amount of 75% of the value.