For a turnkey property, in an "A" neighborhood, a reasonable cash-on-cash return might range between 5-8%, since these areas tend to be more stable but with lower returns.

In general, make sure you ALWAYS verify stable employment AND income.

I had to figure that out myself as well a couple of years ago haha as already mentioned, first things first, make sure you feel financially stable and secure. 

How stable have your bookings been over the year? 

I've established a very stable  I've determined that local properties should be my first choice and by local I mean within 1.5 hours of my primary residence.

I think this is the gift and the curse of a still emerging asset class (short term rentals) - as it becomes more "institutional" i.e. more like commercial real estate with more sophisticated buyers then financials and systems for this will likely become more streamlined and stable, but we are still in a place where the buyer pools are more newish investors or typically residential basic investors, so not has experienced or sophisticated evaluating investments based on a detailed financial analysis like more seasoned commercial investors likely would.anyways, just a guess on what might be going on here

Rents will go up and your biggest mistake was to buy a nice house in a desirable neighborhood.The real threat is buying in the hood, leveraged up to the gills, maybe even with hard money, tenants are bleeding you dry, while you are writing checks to attorneys and contractors.Milwaukee is getting a lot of attention lately: cash flow is still better than most places and appreciation is stable at 5-8%.

Consider collaborating with local influencers or travel bloggers for exposure.Local partnerships: Connect with local businesses, wedding venues, or event planners for potential referrals.Targeted advertising: Use Facebook/Instagram ads to reach potential guests interested in Smoky Mountain getaways.Seasonality strategy: Adjust your pricing and minimum stay requirements based on local events and peak seasons.Long-term rental mix: Consider mixing in some medium-term rentals (1-3 months) during off-peak seasons for more stable income.Have you tried any of these strategies?

.- LTR properties often have more stable income streams, but they might not offer the same level of cash flow as a well-managed STR.

You'll be able to garnish wages up to a certain point, hopefully they are gainfully employed in a stable area that would allow you to do this.