And is this a smart choice? 

I would shop the market and buy the property.

Fortunately, the Short Term Shop teaches you all of these things once you are under contract and through the inspection period.  

Smart tech like Schlage Encode locks and a smart thermostat will help you manage access and climate from afar, saving you time and stress.As an STR/MTR host & co-host in Metro Atlanta, I also suggest exploring mid-term rentals (MTRs) through corporate housing partnerships.

Keep making smart moves, and you will scale up in no time.

It’s unfortunate, but I guess I learned the importance of shopping around as I only talked with one other lender.

You might’ve rate-shopped a bit early, but it’s not a deal-breaker.

As an STR/MTR host & co-host in Metro Atlanta, I think self-managing in a tourist area can work well, especially if you automate as much as possible (smart locks, dynamic pricing, messaging templates, etc.).Since you're just getting started, focusing on a turnkey or lightly updated property might make the transition easier.

Investing in real estate is exciting—starting with a fixer-upper can be a smart move.

I'll say it again: Book smarts make dinner conversation; street smarts make money.