This is my first rental and everything is taking much longer than anticipated.

For example, before he switches a policy from short term rental to long term rental he wants pictures.Is it normal?

Go for it.Just don't sign up with a brokerage that will charge you monthly fees.You sound like you have a lead source through what you do as a firefighter and you should follow your first mind and become a direct source for those people your getting acquainted with and building rapport.

Hello all,Has anyone sold a short term rental owned over a year  as a non real estate professional that qualified as short term capital gains tax deductions with expenses and depreciation?

What's up Rickey, I'm a broker and investor here in Sacramento, and I manage about 100 rental / airbnb properties.

Congrats on your pre-approval and your plan to make Florida your primary residence while leveraging house hacking or short-term rentals (STRs).

Furthermore, whole note investments benefit from an additional 0.5% annualized yield and are entitled to a share of any extension fees charged to the borrower."  

You should look at AirDNA for information about short term rental in the area.

Im only charging $700 but I could easily get $1000 maybe $1100 considering what other places are going for and my place is nicer, and is in a quieter neighborhood, and has a yard, etc.

I would never form an entity with them when I can do it online with a firm that charges a fraction of what they charge).