Additionally small tenant improvements could have similar benefits with bonus depreciation and new assets.

Just my personal opinion - get a mentor or a person who already has good experience running STR business, preferably in your area (but not 100% required). 

You do not need to have it under an LLC to take depreciation, the LLC's purpose is to protect your personal assets should you get sued.  

I'm also interested in Virtual for properties and Ideas on Long Island, preferably Nassau.

What the investor will have is a long term appreciating asset; that will provide an increasing cash flow as rental rates increase, and steady amortization as the note is paid down.  

While I always prefer to do deals with local, responsive agents.

I have about 100k in assets both personal and business I could sell, but part of me thinks that’s extreme and I’ll sell “myself” along the way with all my stuff.  

However, I typically like to make a distinction between my parents assets and my own, simply because doing so provides me more satisfaction when I succeed.

However, once we implemented technology a few years ago, even our local clients prefer to avoid driving and switched to doing business remotely.

this is the distinct different between being an actual lender like a bank .. and an investor in a fund.. two very separate transactions.. when you lend and receive collateral on the asset you get paid when it pays off or the borrower refinances etc.