Although normally it is better to start with an existing location. 

Called our normal granite installer and he can't come out to measure until April (I plan on having it rented/sold before then).

Also, banks normally only lend for holiday homes, not for rental properties but a holiday home can mostly be a short-term rental or become one later.5.

I think your correct though folks have to adjust to the new normal and the interest rates they are not coming down like folks hoped for I think we are in for a run of years were rates will be more like the 2000s  6 to 7% and Owner occ in the 5s with Maybe some high 4s. but by the time folks wait for that prices will rise in the better markets.

This could be a huge problem, as the "the rent is too damn high" people will be extremely upset with huge surges in the cost of living, felt acutely in some major metros.3) 2027-2029 should see a return to a more normal inflation adjusted rent growth curve, with the caveat that if supply continues to remain relatively low, we could see national rent growth outpace inflation in these years as well, so long as interest rates remain high. 

Desperate - experienced, nothing to lose type of situation, and the opportunity is so amazing that it is life changing  (Ah what the heck, he was already on the edge, it may work, it may not, but he was in a desperate situation)I wouldn't recommend it for normal people.

It's not normal to do it prior to an accepted offer.

Normally, as @Jaycee Greene suggests, you make a management fee plus a split of cashflow with investors (oversimplified explanation).

Having a mortgage and your normal STR insurance is already 2 levels of protection. 

We normally meet on the third Monday of the month but that will not be the case in April as that is the Tax filing deadline of April 15th..