A reserve is unnecessary, but I still keep around $15,000 - $20,000 in my account.The point is, that you should sit down and assess your finances to determine what the worst-case scenario may look like, how much you would need to cover it without impacting your life, and whether you will need to build a reserve.

In my market, which is a fairly economical place to build, I am friends with full time builders that are in their properties about $150k/door for construction level finishes.  

Instead of platforms like Angi, try building relationships directly with contractors, architects, and developers.

You're better off focusing on specific markets, specific neighborhoods, analyzing numbers, and building an ideal buy [box].

I do not think they regulate this strictly on other industries like food service, or even medical.Sounds like the mayor or city planner or someone "important" had a bad stay at a STR somewhere.

Staying on the same page and building trust.

I just want some outside eyes to help me understand if this deal is what I should expect to find as I build my portfolio.I plan to buy and hold long term.

Thank you very muchBeau,In my opinion the math and the numbers on deals don't lie and are also a great way to build a plan.

House hacking is a great start in building your portfolio. 

I will say that even though you get the boost from VRBO and AirBNB, the first year of operation is usually lean as you build up the rep.Offering a discount on the stay is a way to be more attractive but don't go crazy.