Many cities have high overhead costs that consume a large portion of generated revenue.

If he titles the house in mom's name by gift (no gift tax this year due to unified credit) , she has lived there for the right amount of time, can she exclude the gain entirely under Internal Revenue Code Sec. 121?

The only thing that would be different is that Proper covers revenue loss + all the bells and whistles  I feel I don't need for 2x the cost - squatters/bed bugs.Any input on this from more experienced STR investors or others with insurance backgrounds please?

If they are low revenue and high maintenance or not...

I think I am learning that I probably should have said rent-ready and not turnkey, but I think you have answered the subtle question I was asking which is, is it possibly worthwhile to invest in properties that give you only one type of revenue (paying down the mortgage) and maybe don’t give back the cash immediately for the next investment?  

You want to target homes/markets where %15-20 of the purchase price in yearly revenue in possible.

Generate the most revenue for them.2.

Assembly Bill 1771, also known as the California Housing Speculation Act, aims to change real estate tax policy to discourage investors from quickly reselling properties like single-family homes.Under the proposed bill, an additional 25% tax would be imposed on the gain from the sale of a qualified asset (including homes) within three years of the previous sale.The tax reduction is dependent on the number of years passed since the initial purchase of the qualified asset, ranging from a 20% reduction for sales occurring between 3.01 to 4 years to a 100% reduction for sales occurring more than seven years after the initial purchase.The revenues generated by this tax increase would be deposited into the Speculation Recapture Community Reinvestment Fund, which aims to support affordable housing, local governments, schools, and infrastructure projects.The bill is introduced by Assembly Member Ward, and the proposed tax changes would take effect from January 1, 2023.Assembly Member Ward argues that short-term investors in the market, including fix and flip investors, contribute to rising housing prices, limiting opportunities for Californians to purchase homes.While the bill may discourage short-term speculative transactions, it is worth noting that California's tax laws still provide certain advantages for investors, including unlimited tax write-offs and depreciation benefits.The bill is subject to legislative approval, and Assembly Member Ward will speak publicly about the bill at the San Diego County Administration Center on a specified date.Please note that this is a simplified summary of the bill and its potential impact on fix and flip investors.

Maybe you are crushing it so much it is now your main revenue driver.  

That's a revenue source.Self-Perfoming:  It's not uncommon for PM's to have a handyman to self-perform.