That would make the existing development north and south of I-10 more appealing. 

With continued population growth and industry, LTRs are great for the long play but can be difficult to cash flow.   

These are going to be my first self managed units, but my intention is to continue adding units in parallel with development projects. 

Or is it because its more for agents/lenders than investors/developers? 

It took a little while to get them to trust me, but we've developed great relationships over time. 

In my specific situation, the original developer is no longer in the area, and with no HOA or planning and zoning…..what if anything could be enforced against my plans for short term rental?

If the unit has issues such as ingress/egress, bad electrical, is newly developed space without meeting minimum ADU setback requirements, etc then of course the jurisdiction can red tag it and enforce it.  

Mary’s Counties.)The market here is often driven by government and military employees due to the proximity of Patuxent River Naval Air Station and government agencies in DC, The Southern is known for larger lot sizes, single-family homes, and a mix of new developments and older properties.

(Source)*Google Office Building in Reston*Source: Global Tech Cities: Washington, D.C.Source: The Changing Face of the Dulles CorridorSource: Tech Cities: The Global Intersection of Talent and Real EstateBXP had plans approved in 2018 to build Reston Next, a 4.4 million square feet mixed-use development, and one of the first big developments to go up around the new Reston Town Center Metro.

Columbus, OH has seen strong growth and has steady population, business growth to sustain it years down the road.