I’m currently biding my time waiting to find the next deal.

And not to mention no stock matches the dividend rate one can get in real estate with such low risk/volatility. 20yrs ownership, oh-yeah, cash-flow on renting it would be HUGE now so it's easily comparable to a 20%+ monthly dividend, if not more.

It is a tough market and there's nothing wrong with taking a breather and waiting for things to stabilize while focusing on savings and education.

@Robert Ellis Since you mentioned panels, have you looked into SIPs at all for your builds? 

@Brad KanouseYou've gotten some good info so far from Arthur and Dmitriy and I wanted to add in some other things to think about as well.1.Self-Directed IRA (SDIRA): This is what @Dmitriy Fomichenko mentioned, and he's right, it could be a self-directed IRA or a solo 401k.  

I will mention that a hot tub could really increase the frequency of bookings. 

$540 is not unreasonable for a home of that size and the items you mention.

As mentioned by @Chris Mason, Bridge Loans: These short-term loans can provide immediate financing until more traditional financing becomes available or until the property stabilizes and becomes more attractive to lenders.Interest rates and stipulations may be a pain.Out of the box here and requires a few more research, SBA Loans: Small Business Administration loans can be an option, especially the SBA 7(a) loan program, which can be used for hotel acquisitions.I heard someone  mention - Mezzanine Financing: it involves a combination of debt and equity financing, which might appeal to some investors looking for higher returns.

So I'm waiting on two others at the moment.

Not sure how many PMCs you've had bad experiences with, but we'll take exception to:"Then do a thorough research on tenant applicants (note: leaving this to a PM may be hazardous to your financial health)".BP seems to have more threads about screening mistakes by DIY landlords as opposed to PMCs.Now, if you'd have mentioned Maintenance, you'd get no argument from me:) Even the PMC industry acknowledges maintenance as one of the biggest challenges.Rereading my post, I kinda see how I sounded negative toward PMs.