This is the framing for my approach, also.

I suspect this will increase as the people who lost homes do not want to live in hotels and, as the high season approaches, the hotels will be less inclined to provide reduced rates to the fire victims.I hope no one from out of state decides to move to San Diego until this housing situation is stabilized.i wish all the fire victims the best and success finding replacement housing.  

That kind of restriction just doesn’t work for someone like me.I’m trying to figure out if I might be missing something in how I’m approaching this or if others have insights or examples of towns that not only allow STRs but also have laws that offer enough flexibility to operate in the way I’m aiming for.Many towns technically permit STRs but impose restrictive rules like membership requirements, ownership duration limits, or rental day caps, making operations challenging.

I am curious enough to try different approaches and find out what worms best.

That kind of shoot-from-the-hip approach can be fun for a minute, but it usually ends up like my old buddy Rick’s first deal.. he bought a distressed fourplex in Tucson years back without a real plan, and while he eventually turned it into a solid monthly cash flow, he spent the first six months sleeping with one eye on the tenant ledger, praying the HVAC wouldn’t bail on him after a hot desert day.

This is the exact same approach we are taking - information has gone out a few times in our newsletters over the last year and a half, with more details available upon request, along with FYIs to clients at year end or other regular meetings. 

What about drive approaches, parking lots, site lights, landscape, irrigation, etc.? 

I also notice that @Gregory Schwartz mentioned Huntsville in particular—I definitely think that it’s a strong market for long-term appreciation.As for your concerns about investing out of state, I think an investment strategy that is as close to passive as possible would be best.A do-it-yourself approach—where you acquire a property, place a tenant, interview a bunch of property managers, and handle maintenance yourself—is going to be pretty tough to do remotely.

I’m also interested in identifying the most scalable approach to support future growth.

What are your thoughts on this approach?