I don't have much experience dealing with Section 8 and I wonder whether there's a risk of bringing attention to a non-conforming rental to the Section 8 authorities. 

We have been working in the affordable housing space for some time, and this allowed us to partner with the local community and provide a housing solution they need as their city continues to expand with new jobs they are successfully bringing to town.

They are in decent shape but will get some rehab to bring them up to shape.

Hoping to add a mountain cabin (both for investment and to bring our three young daughters to when we can).

STRs can bring great returns but are higher risk and more hands-on, like small-cap stocks, while long-term rentals are stable and predictable, like large-cap investments.

It is pretty easy to keep it fully occupied but it does mean I turn away a ton of people who want a lease that doesn't quite fit my requirements. 

Most people selling properties are not professional investors.

As a few have mentioned, the best way would be to call the listing agents directly, but depending on how much time you want to dedicate, setting and going on multiple appointments with different people could prove to be time-consuming. 

I work with agents who know my buying criteria, and they bring deals to me before they hit the public market.

With the rental method- you need to ensure that the numbers make sense and that you will be bringing in positive cash flow.