If that's my experience in a small town, I suspect it's probably everywhere.

I navigate through cities and towns, identifying areas that are both friendly and challenging for STRs.

It can be done in smaller towns, but the margins are still very tight.

If I donated to aids health foundation and they spent the money on rent control instead of aids research or health care, I would be pissed.  

I've worked with groups like Sands Investment Group, Hudson Edge LLC, and others, where I primarily analyzed industrial properties with long-term leases and high recent growth potential, alongside stable A-class multifamily properties with value-add opportunities.While many of the groups I've worked with are hesitant to relinquish control of their investments, my goal is to create a balanced yet diversified portfolio, focusing on high-growth industrial assets and value-add multifamily properties.

The sooner you regain control, prove that you fully intend to enforce the terms of your lease, and that you will not be 'played' by their recall of events or documents, the more effective this action will be.  

@Justin Goodrich I can speak for a lot of investors and say our biggest problems are out of our control. 

Here are a couple of ways you could structure the deal:Lease Option with Seller Financing: You could lease the property with an option to buy later, allowing you to rehab it while giving the sellers time to find a 1031 replacement property.Seller Financing with Deferred Payment: Structure the seller financing with no immediate payments, allowing you to refinance once the property is appraised, and the sellers can complete the 1031 exchange when ready.Escrow Holdback: Transfer the deed into an escrow account, giving you control without immediate transfer, so the sellers can take their time with the 1031.Third-Party Facilitation: Use a qualified intermediary to hold funds and facilitate the 1031 exchange while you refinance.These options allow flexibility for both you and the sellers.

See what other controls they offer.  

And given #3 above, it leaves about 20% of rent for all other expenses like property tax, insurance and other PM expenses like leasing fee, eviction fee and other minor expenses like for e.g landscaping, pest control etc.