Toledo’s median home list price of $200,000 is less than half the national average while price volatility has been muted compared to the wild fluctuations in much of the country.

I ask them how that compares to how they actually executed for that month.  

So if there are a lot of home sales but limited log cabin sold comparable sales it may hurt your value.

You want to compare the experiences available there so you know where you have to land to be successful in that market as a STR.Furnishing is the main cost that I didn't see and @Bryce Jamison hit several other ones.

If you qualify for the HELOC and your total line is not that much compared to your current mortgage balance, go with a HELOC. 

So an easy math example is $1,100 of rent versus $1,000 of the above expenses.The rate will be higher as you have a higher LTV compared to a 75% cash out loan.More on DSCR loans:DSCR loans won't use your income to underwrite the loan.

Rents are high compared to property values so you can get good rent flow. 

In high-cost areas like California or New York, the rent-to-value ratios often make buying a primary residence less attractive compared to investing out-of-state where the economic and political climate may be more favorable for landlords.

I know there is a lot of variance, but what would be a good baseline threshold number to compare quotes for building a 5/5 house in Atlanta GA with average finishes nothing fancy?

Absolutely, Clearwater definitely has tighter controls on short-term rentals compared to Tampa and St.