If you go the direct-to-owner route, commit to doing consistent outreach for at least a year or, better yet, at least 2 years.

Property Selection & Setup: Are there certain property types, layouts, or amenities that perform best for STRs?

The rental demand in the area has been consistent, and duplexes offer the flexibility of house hacking or scaling into multi-family investing over time.With your experience in construction and remodeling, you’re already ahead of the game—fix-and-flips or BRRRR projects in Kansas City could be a perfect fit for you. 

but with that said, it seems like you're assuming OP will be able to have a high performing / top performing STR (which i think we would all agree would beat unleveraged market returns.) 

If you consistently analyze properties, recognizing a good deal will be much easier when it shows up.

I would ask them what services above and beyond the required broker services they plan to perform. 

Was a good unit turn performed?

preREO is a marketplace for non-performing mortgages as well as REOs.

A new build needs to perform better than that to make it worth your time, all the risks and capital concentration.thanks for the advice everyone and would be happy to connect with you: @Bryant Brislin @Dave Wells @Leilah Davis @Joshua Stewart I have been building 15 to 20 spec houses a year now for 7 or 8 years..Just curious, generally from start to finish, from closing on buying the land to collecting a check after building the house and after escrow, how long is the process taking you? 

Partner with a real estate marketing company out of Las Vegas or Provo, Utah to market, promote and advertise the “mentorship” system consisting of the free seminar, followed by the modest fee weekend workshop, followed by the $15,000 - $40 000 full mentorship program.Here are the usual results1- 99% of “students” never earn back the cost, despite 1000s of wasted hours2- students learn nothing of real estate principles, real estate finance and real estate law which are the necessary foundation blocks of knowledge necessary for a SUSTAINABLE career in real estate investment 3- with hundreds or thousands of “students” unleashed on the real estate selling public they’re AT BEST an annoyance of trying to do “unrealistic” deals, AT WORST lead to a disastrous result for vulnerable homeowners.4 - The career real estate investors, service providers, brokers, lenders, etc are so disgusted with all of it and the outcomes they see that that can’t even comprehend that the subject technique or strategy does have a legitimate use when utilized (1) by and experienced and well capitalized buyer and (2) full disclosure is provided all parties with legal representation.