This approach ensured a strong return on investment within a short timeframe.

There is a wealth of info here.Read Avery's  book.I would also recommend Chad Carson's book "The small and mighty investor"Congrats on getting started so early.If I knew what I know now at 18...woe.Let me know how I can help.Oh I would start with some inexpensive STR'S property's maybe with owner financing to get started.

-Factor in expenses like loan interest - this may increase your target ROI.

For example, using lease forms, time frames, terms and conditions that you want. 

Then all of the extra money you paid over that 5 year time frame gets washed out the door.

We have around $100,000 per year in expenses just in the various tech we use and it only get's more and more expensive as we grow our book of business.Thanks 

You can get a house for $100 per night which makes all of the houses unprofitablePlus there’s a lot of regulation limiting occupancy, etc. etc.There’s tons of houses on the market for sale right now in the Poconos at very inexpensive prices, because no one is making any money on their STR‘s so everyone has to sell.

But if you came in close to budget , in a reasonable time frame , and the work was good quality and you are happy , then you paid a fair price .Its easy to sit back after the fact and tell someone that they could have gotten it done cheaper . 

Typically in expensive markets house hacking is favorable off the bat, cheaper markets you can rent and buy an investment property 

So I worked 4 jobs in that 18-month timeframe to come up with the money for a suitable downpayment (without touching my brokerage, 401k, etc).Gosh!