My PM, who did not know my realtor, said the house looked good, nothing needed to be done, and got it rented.Turns out both were terrible, the house needed new HVAC, AC, windows, Doors, Pipe fixes, Water Heater, electric line, I found all this out after my Tenant Sued us because of the house's condition.We spent a 9 months of the tenants chasing off contractors before we got it repaired and the tenants out, then the judge granted us all our rent so we finally go that.

I also own a water restoration and general maintenance business in the area and the amount of STR owners that we have spoken with is insane.  

They bought it and held it, come hell or high water.

As a lender I can tell you that argument holds no water.  

A "total reno" can mean it's all original and very outdated but livable or it can be an absolute disaster with foundation issues and sewer and water problems.

It will be quicker I am assuming and will save money on my construction loan interest as a result but want to hear some other thoughts from others with more experience with new builds.for some context I am in Dutchess county ny, property has public sewer/water. 

If you can attend local investor meetups, that’s a great way to gain market insight and connect with reliable people.It’s also smart to start small with a couple of flips to test the waters, and make sure you understand the local market dynamics before scaling up.Good luck with your expansion! 

Side note; if you google 46218 the only photo that shows up is a gross water damaged basement. 

They were never particularly nice, beach cabins on stilts with rattan furniture that usually had water stains from wet suits.  

so i'll throw out my standard cold water.