I can live happily with just a bed, food, and my laptop! 

Housing is a very important bill for many families to pay, but it still comes behind food.  

If I were to buy anything once my reserves are where I want them, it would be gold to hedge against inflation, which we are already seeing in food.

Just food for thought from a friend who owns a larger development company...

So to win capital some GP's had to put out rosier and rosier stuff to get the money over the next GP and their deal and hope that markets and cap rates with debt would make it come true over time.If sponsors would have just used long term fixed rate debt that was assumable many would be absolutely golden right now and if they needed to sell there are tons of buyers for assumable debt deals.The other properties it's a kick the can down the road and see if they find food to live or croak and the property goes back to the bank and the vultures on the side wait for the right time to take their spoils.

If oven, washer, dryer go out, I would pay them some money for during the week for food to eat out or laundromat, and then fix on the weekend.As you said you're in the learning phase.

They bring food and hats and other marketing materials.

Have your agent throw a broker open (possibly with food) to get agents through and get feedback. 

Looking to purchase one and struggling with the right calculators to determine the real metrics.As I understand it (recently looked at buying a former bnb) you need to treat it like any other STR with your extra costs such as food, etc  baked in to the expenses.

If you brought your spouse and 2 kids with you, and you could argue all of your argue of your time on the trip was looking at real estate, and your personal business and activity circumstance defends being able to immediately deduct it and not treat it as a start up cost... likely 75% of much of the travel costs (airfare, food, etc) would be non-deductible.