My assumption is that it still will be better to purchase in my name (better loan terms, ability to put 20% or less down, and I'm already pre-approved) and move to an LLC, but this seems like a steep cost of doing business.

On paper the cheap houses look great, but the reality is they are harder to manage, have higher turn over and cost a lot more time and money.Buying before you retire is a good idea because once you retire, your ability to borrow money is going to decrease as you don't have a regular income from a job.As you want to fix houses up, why not buy a house that needs a bit of work, live in it while doing the renos and then move when you sell it. 

The most commonly listed minimum is 5.5sqft.6 - Heating and Cooling element.

The property alone is worth a million but is generating an estimated $250k/ yr with the ability to add 3 units on site and acquire an additional 13 acres.

Allows you to keep your current portfolio with the ability to access $ to fund projects. 

Other areas constantly threaten to curtail the ability to use homes for str whereas sevier county is based on the rental of cabins and they have zoning that can never be rescinded to guarantee it. 

If you have the ability to visit, I highly encourage you to do so!

Our tools are a reflection of our ability to rationalize...This, in turn, is where the competitive advantage is.Think about it.

No way lights are running up a bill by $250 in an apartment.

As long as the location was in the path of progress, and the units themselves had already or the ability to add features like off street parking, in unit laundry, etc.