Quote from @Andrew Betts: Hi Michael - We own and manage homes in Solara, I can recommend it for a strong ROI, and there is full access to the clubhouse, and better quality food and drinks there, than at other resorts. 

They can't assess all the subjective data like overall layout, view from the living room window, the dogs next door that bark all day, the width of doorways, size of individual rooms, quality of kitchen cabinets and appliances, etc.The best thing to do is study your market regularly.

So, make sure YOU understand the copy & paste info below:Recommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a property in Class D area to Class A standards, what quality of tenant will you get?

Class A properties are going to cost you more, have lower cash flow, yet be more attractive to a higher quality tenant base.

Cost per lead (CPL) is crucial—it shows how much you're paying to get a potential seller or buyer’s info, and you want this as low as possible without sacrificing quality.

Forget the course and put that money on a quality vacation short-term rental.  

Some of the materials we choose and asked him to pick up (such as flooring) he replaced with low quality materials, I assume to keep more of our money for himself. 

Once you narrow it down, start with small jobs to test their reliability and quality before giving them bigger projects.Building a solid network takes time, but having dependable people on call is a lifesaver for your rentals.

Are their listings detailed with good-quality photos?

Don't invest in a market if you can't find a quality PM!