Maximal cash flow is crucial to me to provide a stable springboard for further investment.

And of course the appreciation can come a few ways if rents really rocket up.. but most rents in low value assets stay pretty stable and or there is major re gentrification like we experienced in Charleston SC . 

If you are looking at buying small businesses I would target the ones that baby boomers own, many of them are retiring and looking to sell their business as a retirement plan.

Unfortunately, i am retiring and no grandkids yet.

.- I went to a top college and have a very stable career with great income.

Funny because I’m a physician trying to get to retirement with STRs-not sure if it’s going to pan out but being in a city with lots of tourists is helpful.

The problem is, airbnb income is not considered "stable" so for qualifying purposes there isn't a way to project that accurately if there isn't any previous rental history for the property. 

Their advice is the same your grandfather would give you in regard to pay off your home and retire.

Im not sure if I do enough to call it active but it's my only gig right now since I retired .No involvement , I go check on the property in Colorado on occasion to check it out the condition.from my decades of doing this you pay income tax to the state you live in..

@Robert Portal thank you for the mention of Rent To Retirement.