The beauty of an Airbnb is you can offer it for sale while still renting it out.

Suburbs have filed zoning violations againsgt investors I know who have put their expanded bedroom suburbant houses onto the padsplit.com platform.   

I only mention this because I noticed your mention of Furnished Finder, which is the only platform I list my MTR, and FF caters to 30+ day stays. 

I'd also check around Bigger Pockets and other platforms for reviews. 

I would highly recommend contacting local housing authorities and advertising on their suggested platforms if you haven't done so already.

Also leveraging platforms like PropStream and Batch Leads are excellent strategies for building a solid buyer list.

As experienced professionals, which of these platforms do you prefer, and why?

We're not curing cancer; it's just buying real estate, doing some basic math, buying some furniture and kitchen utensils, maybe getting creative with some amenities, and listing properties on STR platforms...it's daunting when you're new, certainly a grind to get started, but it's not a mystery or puzzle to solve.

while still trying to keep up with the competition Do you rely more on direct-to-seller marketing, networking with agents, leveraging platforms like PropStream and Batch Leads, or just by looking at a lot of deals?

Im open to conventional financing or seller financing.To find properties, you can network with local agents and brokers, join local real estate investment groups, use online platforms like Zillow, Realtor.com, and Redfin, send direct mail campaigns, drive for dollars, network with property managers, and explore seller financing.Good luck!