Hi Keleisha,I know of a number of younger investors who are considering, or have done, rental arbitrage in Tampa.

I'm not talking about saving for savings sake, but actively considering how a dollar can reproduce itself so that you can not only have whatever it is you want to buy, but also put more of the reproductions to work making more dollars and still have the original dollar.

If you’re considering out-of-state investing, starting with long-term rentals might be a smart move.

If the numbers are not making much sense where you live, you should consider investing outside of your market.

Consider a bigger cabin if you want to try to grab a huge equity capture over the next 2 or 3 three years.  2,000 sq ft cabins that were generating 120k a year gross and selling for 850k to 875k are now hitting 85k to 100k and going for 675k to 725k. 

Am I not asking the right questions, or should I consider finding a new accountant?

Most serious and qualified tenants are searching on the major 3rd party platforms you mentioned + realtor.com, redfin, and a few others.Apartments.com & homes.com are owned by the same company and may offer some additional marketing options.Another strategy to consider here is social media - video marketing.

And you'll likely want to consider more fringe & cheaper areas for lower prices & better cash flow.I bought a 3-unit building in November last year when rates were 8% using a renovation loan (5% down), made cosmetic renovations to the units, and then we got way stronger rents than expected.

I wouldn't consider a SFR to be a mistake if the rent can cover the expenses.

Luckily my customers were pretty loyal to me but you get the point.