Verify credit, employment, etc for you. 6) I would definitely want noise (quiet hours), guests, and treatment of common areas covered. 7) We've used Rent Manager as it focuses more on the financials which I think is super important.

We focus and specialize in "on market" MLS deals. 

That approach might not serve the seller well, especially since the goal is to genuinely help them by offering a reliable quick solution.My current thought is to focus on networking and building a solid and extensive buyers list and understanding their ideal investment criteria upfront.

But by building a successful short term rental business on someone else’s property aren’t you giving away the increase in value of the property resulting from your efforts to the property owner?  

If you are doing something with less effort that is "doing it faster" but not "working faster".

I would focus on credit, consider some alternative options to "free your Benjamins" out of your home, or even consider doing a partial sale of your home to give you capital to get back at it!

Absolutely, creating a baseline business plan is a crucial step when starting in real estate (or any field) because it provides clarity, direction, and a strategic foundation for your efforts. 

We would rather buy in a higher class and have less cash flow/come out even and focus on appreciation and long term.

First of all, let me pay my respects to the hardworking people in real estate and the treacherous waters they navigate—fronting hours of effort with only the chance of commissions and an abundance of non-forthright people out there.

But, they still require time and effort.