Ask an attorney for the cost breakdown, factor in holding costs, assume they'll do more damage on the way out and then ask for a bit more for the headache.But again, especially with no experience with evictions and it sounding like a mess, I would be very tempted to just walk if the tenant is not going to cooperate. 

Since you're in Destin, you might want to check with local firms that have experience with STR-heavy communities, as they’ll be familiar with the risks and requirements.

You don't need to know everything to get started; you need a foundation to build on, and the rest will come through experience and then refining your education.You can build a basic understanding of investing in 3-6 months.

Just my personal experience.

You save money, you get experience, and then you buy your own in a year.

Gives you experience and a feel for what's involved.

So many variables can turn a deal sideways from 1 hour to the next - i.e. inspection findings, title issues, contracts, financing issues, taxes, dept. of buildings/local municipalities, etc.I'm glad to hear you made it through the challenges, and it sounds like you'll be able to leverage this experience as you grow your portfolio.All the best to you along your journey!

My day job is being a financial professional, so I have good experience with underwriting and sales that I believe can be translated to real estate.

Has anyone had experience with this - in other words - can she simply decline the charge without the credit card company reaching out for investigation into the matter?

I'll just say that nothing is going to teach you more in this space than practical experience.