She may not want to spend her nights and weekends driving around with investors-- she has been in the business a long time (let's face it we aren't a cushy commission slam dunk) but if you tell her I sent you her way she will definitely give you an industry insider's opinion of who to work with. 

Definitely he should have called the landlord.

Please note the information provided below is a layman's definition designed to provide a basic understanding for the general audience.

I can definitely feel the snowball forming.

Definitely not conservative. 

@Cory Churchill I'm still bullish on the Bryson City market (I live, work, and invest here) but you definitely need to make sure you get your numbers right and make sure you are getting a good property. 

Definitely start by documenting everything—emails, city notices, all of it.

Ponying up $500 that they'll get back in 14 days may seem more attractive -- but, I'd still consider this one a toss up.However, in my "sleeps 14" ski condo INSURANCE is definitely the way to go. 

Would definitely recommend reaching out to Bernie Cesareo or David Stokley.

So I would definitely lean toward BRRRR between the two options although BRRRR is difficult in this market.For the large majority of those starting out, I recommend house hacking although I don't know if that would work for you in your situation.