Redfin and Zillow (taken with a grain of salt of course), already appraised my place to be $350-$360k.

Don't want to throw salt on the wound, but if one month's rent = your whole annual NOI, then you're really thin on this deal. 

Take my advice as a small grain of salt but I believe the cash would mostly be for marketing in order to find deals that you can wholesale.

I want to preface this post by saying I'm not an experienced investor (so take this with a grain of salt) but I have heard and read on BP that other investors use a "blanket" or "portfolio" loans to bundle up multiple properties under one loan.  

I am looking forward to getting involved in real estate investing. I look forward to connecting and gleaning knowledge from everyone. I am not new to real estate, but new to investing. So lets get going and make a lot...

I could be wrong about this, so take that for the grain of salt that it is.Now - with regards to your questions:How do I know that the values will keep rising and this risk it worth it. 

Unless this one has some actual experience in construction, rehab, brrrr, take their word with a grain of salt. 

I'm looking for a CPA experienced in short term rentals either near Salt Lake City or near American Fork, Utah.

@Daniel Netzer what kind of salt water hot tub do you have?

@Yongjian PanThe $10,000 SALT limitation does not apply to deductions for rental properties.