It’s a great way to meet local demand while creating steady cash flow.

High demand and still relatively low entry costs. 

If you are thinking of targeting travel nurses just know that most of the demand is in the 1-2 BR space.

So Supply and demand have really shifted quickly. 

We typically alter our strategy seasonally, as demand shifts with the seasons.

We found that two key factors significantly helped us succeed with our short-term rental (STR): using NightlyPricer instead of AirDNA and opting for Safely Insurance.NightlyPricer: Rather than relying on AirDNA, we chose Nightly Pricer, which provides more dynamic, real-time adjustments based on demand, local events, and market trends.

However, consider STR seasonality, local regulations, and management demands, and ensure your equity loan and new primary residence costs fit comfortably within your budget.

So I get your hesitation to be too demanding and your desire for the problems to go away as fast as they can, however since you have NO property manager ( I don't use one either), it is incumbent that you take a more ACTIVE approach with management of your property.Let's review your situation.  1st time leak occurred, you sent a plumber over to find the problem.  

It might be helpful to narrow down your options by focusing and researching for markets with strong rental demand, growing job markets, and property prices that fit within your budget.

They demand the highest rent and therefore attract white-collar, high-income professional tenants who are “lifestyle” renters by choice.