I worry that a disgruntled renter could see potential deep pockets if they did their research. 

It's rarely talked about, it seems.I looked at some listing in the Research Triangle in North Carolina but the cash flow doesn't seem great, especially there could be a major assessed value/property tax increase as there was a lag of 4 years in NC.

So I'm doing the preliminary work in the meantime--contacting the city to see what they would like, reaching out to the residents in the neighborhood, etc That's great that you are doing your research beforehand. 

Hi Melissa,It sounds like you’re putting in some great thought and research into your investment strategy!

Research ways to use your education to help you qualify for a loan (did you know that some lenders allow college credits that translate directly to the line of work the graduate pursues to count towards work experience, accelerating the borrower's opportunity to get approved for a mortgage?). 

Start by researching local regulations and working with an agent experienced in vacation rentals.

It basically said, unless you are living in Wyoming do not use a Wyoming LLC set up.It seems the more research I do the more different answers I see.Going a little crazy over here,Rhonda

If you have the ambition, you can figure out almost anything now a days through some youtube research. 

The setup and ongoing fees will likely be higher but you'll be able to leverage the account to buy RE so it's a tradeoff like anything else.Happy researching!

Research the Market:It's essential to comprehend the local real estate market before you start flipping residences.