im in Orange County CA and there is a huge market here for room by room rentals here. i've been doing this for quite some time (over a decade now), and it certainly has its pro's and cons. my advice if you go about this is make sure you do proper vetting before moving someone in... not only for financials/ credit-worthiness, but also for temperament and expectations in a co-living space. we ask a lot of questions like "how do you handle conflict?"

The neighbors saw the STRs in the neighborhood as a huge upgrade over what had been there (run-down, neglected old houses turned into the best in the area)... 

Huge thanks to @Scott Trench for giving advice on introductions. 

., not a huge monthly cashflowing asset currently.

The taxes here are high, but the price to rent ratio is exceptional and there is a huge demand for quality housing in certain neighborhoods.   

I like Cleveland because of the huge amount of volume.

We have never focused on one area huge mistake.

Personally, it’s something I always expect from a short-term rental, and it can have a huge impact on your reviews.To make things easier for both you and your guests, consider smart tools like locks, outdoor cameras, and smart thermostats.

We saw huge appreciation in the 2018-2022 inflation run up, but that has significantly slowed these days in my opinion.From a rental perspective your monthly income per unit after all expenses with a typical 20% down payment is likely $100-300 when you find a property that will cash flow.

Related to the prop 13 savings which is huge, due to prop 9 (?)