Most banks don't really know how to do that because they cater to SFH owner-occupants. 

Hi Ven, I personally consider properties that at least cash flow with full occupancy. 

If you're looking for strong cash flow, the Midwest—places like Ohio or Detroit—can be great options due to lower property prices and higher rent-to-price ratios.On the other hand, higher appreciation markets, such as California, come with higher entry costs but often provide significant equity growth, even in the short term, if you buy wisely.If you're considering short-term rentals (STRs), your focus should be on factors like occupancy rates, average nightly rates, and regulations in the area.

The foreclosure would be finished well before I could even begin to start rehab, obtain permits, get a certificate of occupancy and find a tenant.

My first 2 purchases were in a market on that list, and while the year round occupancy and revenue has been solid, it is much tougher to buy now than 1-3+ years ago.

,  occupancy rates, capex plans, competitor rental rate study, market study, etc.  

Plus, having a fully paid-off property could be a nice safety net if the STR market takes a hit or occupancy slows down.On the flip side, if you’re eager to grow, saving for another property could be the better play.

The only times this makes sense is if you are in a really hot market, especially seasonal ones where you might have 100% occupancy for the summer months or something.

If you decide to revisit STRs, you might want to explore properties where you can project expenses independently, such as using local STR forums or online tools to estimate maintenance, management, and occupancy costs.For networking and strategy-building, you might find local meetups or groups beneficial.

As you can see the blue bars (actual), rental income dipped in April and May due to coronavirus, but the strength of the property shone through in June, and we are continuing to see strength and occupancy growth in July and August.BP sometimes removes graphics from post so the graph is also posted at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-5eMOlbdx11udW_ufRZXsgzviwmXB_fA/view?