All are necessary, honestly we did our direct book site to piggy back off VRBO, air and a local site we use. 90% of it is repeat bookings that like to communicate with us through that direct book site vs some protected site like air.we send out a mass email to all our guests using hostfully email capture and offer 5% off the lowest direct booking price which still nets us more than we get for the same booking through the platforms.we do all of it, direct, local and the platforms, we continue to have good success and our clients/guests love it.as far as the price for the website development- to be honest we had a great year one year and needed a write off so that was a factor as well. bottom line is people find you in so many ways, we don't want to eliminate any of them.

He for sure knows the development business.. selling this to the mass's and or those with no experience and very little capital   well you know    sometimes I wonder if I should start selling my how too for 10 to 15k..

. :-)  Funny story: I was vacationing in Mexico recently and there was a mass shooting in the US while we were there.

There it a principal called thermal mass .

., before the mass do.

To oversimplify the business model in acquiring leads:1) Time: cold call, drive for dollars, network2) Money: Mass mailers, virtual assistants, CRMs, ect.

Poster child for developed lots but massive amount of vacant ones its quite a history that development of lots on a mass scale.

Yet, as said, here we are with people in mass still asking on the things despite the resources already out there.

Solutions to your problem are: 1) buy in a less expensive area where price to rent ratios are better, 2) buy three- and four-units instead of duplexes to benefit from more of the income, and 3) buy "off market" from sellers who may be willing to sell at steep discounts and where you're not competing against the masses. 

On a side note, I am a Project Manager / fire sprinkler system designer (for 20 years) for a fire sprinkler company in central Mass.