Out of state investing gives you all of the headaches of local investing plus the costs of plane tickets and travel time.Also, never trust people, especially as a rookie.

And all of this happens during the contract period reducing purchasing risk.Great strategy especially when practiced just on the outskirts of a major metro area in a country setting(a weekend getaway property that can be marketed to city folk).  

And I still averaged $3,000/mo.You can't get away with that anymore.

Lately its been more about making sure the deal doesnt get away from me.

furnished rentals are going to be the ticket here for a while.Also keep in mind and I think this is pretty important as well.  

This area definitely gives you good weather year round, summertime gets hot so as long as you're getting systems serviced before then and then in the fall you're usually ok. 

If this is a big-ticket item, you might consider legal action against Airbnb.  

I would like to buy a future retirement home to get away from the cold winters but in the meantime would love to rent it out as a vacation rental.What are the good areas to consider and where would I get the most vacation renters and cash flow?

Making a well-rounded decision can lead to long-term success in real estate investment.

I think if anyone chose to focus on inbound crews and create parking like you said, as well as crew amenities (large dining areas, etc), they would be booked year-round and in-demand.