Here are a few suggestions on how you can maximize the wealth of information available: Check out the blogs and podcasts, or take advantage of the search feature (magnifying glass).

In a really tight market, you might have leeway of hundreds of dollars before a tenant will even think about moving; conversely, in a loose market, even $50-100 might have a tenant searching for other digs (cheaper or better).

You'll probably pay fees and it'll be tougher to find a bank that would be willing to pull cash out for reasons other than direct improvements to the property. 

You can do a requested search and pay the exchange fee, normally $219, and it will search an area for a precise time period and it will alert you when they find one and you can accept that resort or not.  

I would only hire out for major work I can't do myself or emergency repairs.I've dealt with older houses before and the house may be fine for occupants but there's still usually lots of things that can be fixed / improved so it seems a house that isn't perfect would give more opportunities for ongoing maintenance of this sort.To me it seems fairly straightforward to meet the time requirements but I think I need to have extensive documentation?

There are good value deals in your market if you search hard and long enough, it sounds like your lead source could be revamped in my opinion.

AKA attorneys are hired to draw up/revise/review and sign contracts with their clients, in NYC and Long Island: Attorneys are also the ones that handle ordering title searches and etc. 

I'm still searching for another way of learning without being taken to the bank.

- We are going to start searching for a CPA with a lot of experience in STRs, but haven’t found one yet.

Home sales have reached their lowest point since 2010, driven not solely by high interest rates and low inventory but by shifts in household incomes and confidence.As fewer people search for homes, this altered sentiment trickles up, impacting business and investor confidence.