Would love to connect with other RE investors that can guide me/us and build confidence along the way.   

My son (age 24) however, is an independant contractor / self employed and is trying to buy a house. 

By August 2023, I packed up my introverted self, moved to paradise, and two months later—BOOM—homeowner status unlocked.

If you're confident you can find better cash-flowing deals or scale your portfolio with leverage, it could make more sense to reinvest rather than pay off the loan.

Start with books and self-education before considering any paid courses!

In neighborhood it is very important to present your self to the home owner next to you, this helps a lot to prevent misunderstandings. also this shows your professionalism.

I agree that the best way to make money is self manage your short term rental (not AirBNB, that is a platform).

Why it works: Social proof reduces hesitation and builds confidence in your services.These simple strategy can help ease your lead generation and nurture process, making it easier to focus on what you do best—closing deals!

Seriously though, if you haven't already get your self a solid real estate-focused tax professional in your corner.

The STR part plays no part in the valuation like @Patricia Andriolo-Bull said.I agree that 20% is pretty fair, but you could self manage it once you get things in order.