In the meantime, expenses such as debt payments, taxes, insurance, and maintenance persist.Characteristics of a City That Enables Financial IndependenceTo maximize your chances of achieving financial independence through real estate, focus on cities exhibiting the following characteristics:Significant and Sustained Population Growth: Rental rates are driven by supply and demand.

If you are taking on debt for the STR this gets a little more complicated, but not much. 

I havent relocated for opportunities but have some experience with Mid-term rentals - For MTR I would find major hospitals and then search the houses around them, if they are priced really high / numbers wouldnt work, eliminate that market.

Usually its because there is a lot of debt risk. when interest rates went up a year or so ago I lost over 300k in sydication projects I was a part of because I didn't understand this concept.

You're financed at 100% and would be in big trouble if (when) ANYTHING went wrong....would the property even cash flow enough to service all of that debt? 

The country has massive debts and deficits. 

We are only selling completed homes with our own in house financing currently at 3.75%, a huge discount from most bank rates.We are a long time property provider for some of the bigger podcasters: Real Estate Guys Radio, Marco Santorelli (Norada), Kathy Fetke (RWN) Jason Hartman ( Empowerd Investor) GRE (Keith Weinhold), Whitecoat Investor Group and more We also work with American Homes for Rent, Invitation Homes, Crescent, Haven Realty (JP Morgan) to name a few on the institutional side We are partially owned as of 2022 by Sumitomom Forestry, which means we have no bank debt and self fund all our building projects.

I realize no one has a crystal ball, but I see no scenario where the housing shortage did not get worst in coastal CA by the elimination of 1000s of homes.As stated I agree with your sentiment. 

@Mitchell RosenbergAnother approach is the elimination method.

Eliminate debt, establish a budget, and save.