An experienced broker with lots of choices at the palm of their hand is probably the best bet.

These are prime locations, think near downtown or popular tourist destinations where demand for short-term rentals is typically high.

If there is a choice to be made, it comes down to what an investor "likes" or prefers about one over the other? 

A debt service loan is popular for that step.

I live in a popular vacation town in the mountains of Western North Carolina.

As someone actively investing in STRs and looking to scale, this raises some concerns for me about the long-term viability of this strategy.I understand the tension between hotels and STRs, especially in popular tourist destinations, but I’m curious:How real is this threat?

After talking with an operator I felt he was a good choice for a tenant and he mad a great offer above market for the apartment so we agreed.In the past I would usually rent my own units and to stay competitive I would keep an eye on the rentals in the area and try to be one step above if I could....This time that was a little tougher as the neighborhood hasn't gotten very trendy. 

They completely wasted my time due to lack of knowledge and organization to my file; then changed their offer as if I had no other choice but to take it.

I'm a big fan of lakefront properties as vacation rentals, and the area these cabins are in is popular for tourists, so I felt confident in the deal.How did you find this deal and how did you negotiate it?

They may be regulated, they maybe aren't.A Credit Union is a good choice for funding.