With you getting the ball rolling you need to get properties under your belt and get the snow ball rolling.

No one has a crystal ball to what values will do over the next 10 years.

If I show all my assets now that equal a down payment to get the ball rolling and start shopping for properties in my price range, but plan on using income I will receive over the next few months as a down payment could that work.

Once you get one estimate, you can have an easier time ball parking for other deals.

Those cost in terms of lost rent, but also cleaning out the stuff that was left behind.If your place is managed by a PM, expect a 1 month vacancy (only once I have had no vacancy with my PM manage places, and once I had 2 months as they messed up and held it for a person-friend of the owner-who didn't put down a deposit and then they dropped the ball). 

. - If I were to find some creative renter solution and low-ball the market rent at $1700, I could only put in about $180K total assuming a conventional mortgage to generate acceptable cash flow.So, apart from increasing rent and managing the property myself what are ways that I could make something like this work?

A 2 stage is like a pitcher with a fast ball and change up.

I am an Associate Broker in Maine, been helping others get their STR properties, but now getting the ball rolling for my own properties!

There is no crystal ball of when we can sell we have been trying to.

I have mixed feelings about this as I am of the opinion the government is generally not the best at administering things in the free market, however I have seen first hand some slum lording of STR's and unsafe practices.I think for now if you are in those TX markets you will have to play ball but I think they will keep pushing new rules on you until people push back.