I was conducting an extremely seasonal business and after 8 years of operation the business was insolvent. 

It's important to understand the zoning/code requirements and obtain all necessary permitting if you intend on operating your real estate as STR anywhere in the country.

It may surprise you, but we have always operated under the premise that renewals make us more money than new leases.

Do you have a 501c3 that you operate under (and rent the house from yourself), or do you purchase homes with an LLC or personal name, and run as a regular business? 

, I really need to keep it simple and minimize risk since I live abroad.

I believe that you don't get returns (failed to deliver) with bulk mailers so you don't know which addresses are bad.That's the simple stuff.My advice is to do various mailings that you or some prepares locally, that go out immediately, using 1st class postage.

It's easier to scale with multifamily properties due to income potential and operations.

Quote from @Erick Pena: A "good" rental property is one that covers all expenses (mortgage, taxes, insurance, maintenance, property management fees, and any other costs) and still leave a surplus (commonly referred to as cash flow).Calculate cash flow as: Cash Flow = Rental Income − Operating Expenses − DebtThere's much more to it, but that's the basic idea.

Simple and powerful. 

To match them, I use a formula Sofa: solid color textured pillow (2) + patterned pillow (2) + solid color (2)King bed: 26"x26" pillows (3) + lumbar/body pillow at least 48"L (1) - I'll do a print + a solidQueen Bed: 26"x26" pillows (2) + lumbar pillow 36" (1)Twin/Bunk: 14" x 20" lumbar pillow (1)In outdoor spaces, I keep it simple and match the pillows to the rug.For artificial plants I source from Nearly Natural, Wayfair and Home Depot.