These days as you mention with STR almost everything can be handled remotely...cleaning, painting, locksmith, yard care, even drive by pictures of the house occasionally or internal pictures too. 

I went back to Memphis last year for the first time in six years to find all is as advertised with very minor exceptions.We have picture inspections done every four months, cost $75, because I'm a trust but verify guy.Good people, good service.   

Our agent negotiated us a credit for one aspect (floors) but given the true work that really needs to be done is there anything we can do at this point... like arbitration to cover costs of actual work that needs to be done.

Maybe I’m missing something in your pictures.

I was criticizing Airbnb for not immediately covering the cost.  

There will also be a new front deck (and back deck eventually), and a small covered porch with a hipped roof.

Realistically speaking, except in very rare cases, I think it’s all about pictures pictures picturesMost people aren’t gonna have success  starting their own booking website or running targeted ads or creating some amazing Instagram account.

Quote from @Devin James: We’ve slowly been improving our homes the more we’ve built and the more feedback we get from our Buyers2021 – Added 8ft doors throughout the home2022 – Added a new elevation with stone in the front of the home2023 – NO carpet in the bedrooms, LVP throughout the home2024 – Added hurricane impact windows & new color options2025 – Adding Ceiling FansGotta be open to feedback and adjust accordinglyThis can be the difference of your home sitting on the market for 4 months vs 1 month where's the modifications and pictures?

Insurance would cover it, I would pay the deductible, and no assets would be lost.If you are in an area like San Diego where people are more likely to sue, a judge is more likely to find you guilty, and the payout is expected to be higher, you may consider an umbrella insurance policy.

We don’t know any PMCs to recommend in the area mentioned, but since selecting the wrong PMC is usually more harmful than selecting a bad tenant, you might want to read our series about “How to Screen a PMC Better than a Tenant”:https://www.biggerpockets.com/member-blogs/3094/91877-how-to-screen-a-pmc-better-than-a-tenant-part-1-services-and-processesWe recommend you get management contracts from several PMCs and compare the services they cover and, more importantly, what they each DO NOT cover.