@Ben Cochran I hope you have factored STR tax savings into your cashflow and ROI as it can be significant.Leveraging equity to purchase a short-term rental (STR) in Tampa Bay can diversify your portfolio and potentially generate strong cash flow, but it also increases your financial risk.While your properties hold significant equity, adding debt from HELOCs or a DSCR loan could strain your finances if STR performance fluctuates or costs rise.

Many of these were lost in tax sales, and the ones that they got re-performing underwrote loan mods at low single digit interest rates during ZIRP and could not resell them at a profit once interest rates were hiked.

What is your rate currently?

I did a quick look and violent crime rate almost double that of Illinois as a whole. 

I have found people willing to owner finance their house to me at a lower interest rate.

The first question is, can I use a second home mortgage (10% down and lower interest rate) for this. 

A quick check of new listings results in many listing that seem well below market rates.   

Preferred returns would even be acceptable but not a straight interest rate play if the lender understands the structure. 

In one building I saw rates of $50/night. 

Rents and property values rise pretty steadily in our market at a rate about 2-3X the national average.