I would look at the data and then talk to local investors, they may have a completely different POV.

I am fully educated on what's public online/and how to access that easily, and I'm looking around for subscription/pay options that offer more "actual raw data" (on deeds, history, leins and public records) than the county sites, basically.Research--for anything I identify as potentially interesting.

on the other hand, ask them to allow you to test and clean rather than them give a hearsay appear and disappear story.

They have provided us with actual data quantifying how much a certain amenity adds to your short-term rental revenues.I tell all my STR investors/second-home buyers in Colorado to get a hot tub, for instance, but while I know you do better, it's been hard to put numbers to it.AirDNA's March report has tried to tell us how much more revenue a home with X amenity gets over a home without X amenity.

SeatGeek data suggests Taylor Swift's Eras tour could overtake Adele's spot in the fall, with The Eagles at Sphere also potentially ranking in the top three.

If you want to get easier and faster access to the data, US Prodate leads (mentioned above), Probate Data, and a few other companies have monthly services that I use

The CMA report I received from my agent is lacking similar rental comps and data, and my property manager does not have any rentals in the area.

Sometimes buyers don't realize all the houses a buyer agent had to preview (in previous deals, and just agent walkthroughs) to get the neighborhood vibe and trend...numbers and data don't tell the whole truth.I hope that after a year or two of the new rules enough buyers (who got burned) will see that having someone experienced represent and protect their interests is a darned great idea. 

Short answer: STR and REPS are TWO DIFFERENT tests, unrelated to one another. 

It's the best way to test what you like and don't like in a low risk environment.Once you've done this, you'll probably have even more saved up and experience to make you more confident in choosing a direction.If you decide to just dive into one of these markets and strategies, I'd recommend focusing on your personality, goals (cash flow first or something else) and how much time you have.