Just my personal opinion - get a mentor or a person who already has good experience running STR business, preferably in your area (but not 100% required). 

Aloha,There are a couple of issues here.

While I always prefer to do deals with local, responsive agents.

I attended the RALA 3-day training in Phoenix and took a couple of online courses as well, and while I found these courses to be very valuable in helping get a clearer understanding of the space and what it might take to be successful, I eventually I found it most beneficial to bring in a partner/advisor who has built residential assisted living facilities here in Texas and has been running them successfully.

I'm also interested in Virtual for properties and Ideas on Long Island, preferably Nassau.

I’m hoping she’ll be able to help me with this, but I don’t meet with her for a couple of weeks, so I’m trying to work through a few things in the meantime! 

However, once we implemented technology a few years ago, even our local clients prefer to avoid driving and switched to doing business remotely.

I have a couple lenders that can do non recourse.

This is my preferred means of purchasing rental properties for cash from the SDIRA. 

Those were very good areas a couple of years ago when people were less aware of Ocala but it's gained in popularity so it's become tougher to make the numbers work, but there are still deals to be had, especially for rentals.