A couple questions first:1)  How many STRs are you involved with?

We are a boutique firm in Chattanooga and every agent in our firm is personally involved in either real estate development, owns investment properties or flips homes. 

and i know that that there’s risk involved, so ill always be prepared for things not going according to plan. and i think starting small and gaining knowledge and experience over time is key. 

One method to meet the sort of investors you're looking to hobnob with is to get involved in their association.

After being involved in right around 40 deals (Mostly flips, some rentals as well as subject to transactions), I am now an agent with Keller Williams Intown Atlanta.

Without involving a traditional lender, what kind of deal structures should we consider?

Yes, im not sure about deal sourcing at least at my level because I dont make that much from the investment side of my business right now and I feel there would be a lot of training involved.

I’m looking to build connections with realtors here in the DFW area, as I’m eager to explore opportunities and share knowledge with professionals in the real estate industry.If you're a realtor or involved in any real estate activities in the DFW region, I’d love to connect and collaborate.

Jared Smith, really interesting way to involve your kids :-).  

Many carriers are including exclusions for GC commercial general liability coverage and professional liability coverage for engagements involving condos and even stricter exclusions when dealing with conversions.