Each individual needs to assess their own ability to handle costs over that time frame when cash flow may dry up.

You absolutlely need to be direct to seller or have close, personal relationships with wholesalers and active agents.

The IRS generally does not allow you to deduct expenses for a property that has not been placed into service, as deductions typically apply to operational properties actively being used to produce income.

We had to make sure we sidestepped them and only added information to the correctly entered, active applications.

As someone actively investing in STRs and looking to scale, this raises some concerns for me about the long-term viability of this strategy.I understand the tension between hotels and STRs, especially in popular tourist destinations, but I’m curious:How real is this threat?

In these markets, I would be worried about crime, activity of illegal immigrants, and such. 

For example, population growth in certain neighborhoods and increased investor activity have created opportunities for both long-term rentals and value-add deals.If you’re torn between wholesaling and holding long-term rentals, I’d suggest thinking about your long-term goals.

And if not, what other suggestions would you have for getting the comps I need to accurately assess ARV on flips? 

I spent a decade in advertising, before founding and running a custom wood shop for another decade, so 'm pretty good at the self-promotion.I agree with you that the more gorilla approach would be most effective and that's actually what i've been doing – calling RE agents in my service area with active listings, introducing myself to property managers and leasing agents...To answer your question, I will have to handle the work myself for 6-12 months to build out the SOPs and field service management systems, but I have a lot of relationships for those looking to "do the work".I'll check out the meet up and would love to grab a cup of coffee, I'll shoot you an email.

I keep coming across posters asking for advice on how to “scale” their investment or business activities.