You are like many others who are getting started and unfortunately your generation is screwed because of the amount of spending is older generations have done and put the debt on you which also has led to record inflation.All you can do now is plan for the future and don’t force things but invest wisely when the time is right.

For me - my two cents are no amount of innovation can replace sound underwriting and valuation practices.Curious to others thoughtsI have nothing to say that you haven’t already most eloquently stated.   

My jaw dropped open at that amount for only 4 properties.

if anything then I would set a flat fee to pay them for their service and then if you do find a property that offers buyers agents money, in which almost all I have seen still do...then I would have the title company back out the amount you decided on and the agent gets the remainder of the amount of commission that's left over. 

In the same amount of work I could find an undervalued deal in my market through existing channels.

I should net a good amount from a house I have for sale and I don’t really want to tap into my reserves right now.

A lot of it has to do with typing the least amount of words, so I leave the roses and incense out. 

That is something I would for sure have to look into as, according to your post, it seems like the timeline for mid-term rentals kind of lines up with the amount of time that we would be gone each year, which would work out well and probably require less of a hassle of trying to maintain the property after each stay for Air BnB.

The deposit amount when working with a lender comes from the lender - it is basically the amount of skin the lender wants you to have in the game. 

Yup, you said it.. a "minuscule amount". but that minuscule amount is still a huge number.