Adding 16 small units can be very profitable, with enough profit for all those involved.  

A lot of it has to do with location and time.If they are local owners looking at 1-2 LTR properties, I'll assist with identifying cash flowing/near cash flowing properties, assist them in the purchase as their buyers agent and assist with tenant procurement, listing, etc. but they can typically handle day to day management from there.Furnished properties, whether that be MTR or STR, are a lot more involved, as I'm sure you're aware of!

It's just not a subclass I want to be involved in, but perhaps you can make it work for you! 

So if the potential resident wants to drag their feet, but another party books on AirBnB, then that's just unfortunate for the FF lead. 

But I am involved more in multifamily and hotel resort investing now.  

The hardest part is finding the right people  to talk to i.e sellers, lenders, contractors, and not stopping until you find them the rest will fall into place because you have thw info in your head and a mentor(jerome) that will guide you when you get your deal rolling.

I have 30+ units and on a regular month usually only spend about 5 hours total on management things, most of which involves collecting rents and bookkeeping.

The issue in a partnership is that it has to make sense to the other party.

Between the two of us, we are pretty involved in real estate.

If seller financing is the route you go, you might consider getting creative with the structure to make it work for both parties.