Any tips or tools for evaluating the local market would be greatly appreciated.

5 - What will the quality of the exterior finishes you will be choosing?

You guys are all over the map..

Yet, the same properties in the same cities are allowed to rent their homes on a long term basis.   

Sure, if you have an actual guest -- like your mother -- visiting and she breaks her leg and tries to sue you, then a regular homeowner's policy would cover that, but not if that guest were part of a rental transaction.

Deposits will not be returned (full or partial) until all tenants move out.If Tenant A didn’t come to you to get part of the deposit back they may have gone to tenant B, but they most likely walked away from it and I feel it is between tenant A and B to sort it out.Personally I would return it to tenant B, the active tenant in the current active contract.

In '23 the state set records for tourism revenues and visitors to the state, a hat tip to your point about year-round demand. 

I think  it's Vegas doing poorly, which is just an indicator of the economy and times.

Outsourcing your admin tasks and management is the answer.

Call up a couple companies.