Like you I think I made my first investment in a true syndication when I was in my early 60s. the sponsor is what matters.. asset OK  but if the sponsor is not top notch I dont care how good the project is..

This takes perhaps a few projects to get the hang of. 

I have many years of construction experience and have also done a fix and flip, in addition to ground up construction, as well as 10 years of entrepreneurial experience running a paddle board rental company, and advancing science through developing theoretical methods for efficient large scale simulations...I guess my problem is I can't seem to figure out how to find the money to do more projects, which is why I've been trying to sell my house.

Unfortunately most have made lifestyle changes relying on checks that will never be cashed but can't fault the inexperienced investors with the amount of materials online, social media etc. where coaches, mentors and gurus share the ease in which they generated massive wealth in these neighborhoods.

A smarter approach would involve thorough market research, realistic projections on occupancy rates, and understanding that not every location is still a goldmine for STRs.

I also know that if I manage the project well, it will come in near the original estimate and at worst between the original and the high estimate.

Lots of projects have stalled. 

Where are these treehouse projects located?

I see this a lot, and I think there's been so many bad projection tools on the market that the "what did this house earn" is a valid question.For investment properties there is a true number and buyers want to know how that compares to the projections. 

I’ve used Asana for managing day-to-day tasks and projects, and it’s been a huge help in keeping everything organized.