Now as I stated I'm not a agent but I do feel confident in this here friend. 

I think.. that darn NMLS website is the most user unfriendly site I have ever seen..  

One big thing to keep in mind is that Daytona Beach itself is not very STR friendly.

Does anyone know an investor friendly tax/attorney person that I can talk to and can guide me through this process? 

I recently helped a friend who was in a similar position - looking to tap into equity for a rental property purchase in Phoenix.

There is also a recent Bigger Pockets Podcast called " Is This the Most Beginner-Friendly Way to Start Investing? 

A friend of mine picked up a duplex there last year for under $150K, added some sweat equity, and turned it into a cash cow.Chattanooga, TN: This market has been quietly making waves.

They are coming to your property if you allow them or not (you cannot forbid service animals) Consider the facts: https://www.dogster.com/statistics/pet-travel-statistics-tre....Top 12 Pet Travel Statistics78% of American pet owners travel with their pets each year.54% of cat and dog owners plan to travel with their pet.58% of people would prefer to travel with their pet over a friend or family member.52% of travelers base their travel plans on accommodating pets.About 75% of luxury, mid-scale, and economy hotels allow pets.In 2019, a total of 404,556 animals were transported by airline.Nearly 64% of travelers prefer to travel with pets by car.42.9% of people look for a destination with hiking and fresh air for pet travel.Dogs make up 58% of the pets traveling around the world.37% of owners take shorter vacations because of their pets.10% of travelers have hidden their dogs to travel.27% of dog owners go the extra mile for their pets.

A Realtor friend said he had some of his busiest years during that time so life goes on.

Additionally, the price point is still cheap enough to find the 1% rule and positive cash flow and it's super landlord friendly (so you will never have to go through a 12 month eviction or anything close to that!).