If you are good at short-term rentals, you can get a much bigger return because you would be rented in the low season as well.The overall majority of people invest with 100% cash because foreign banks won't lend and it's very difficult to get a loan from a local bank.

Since I live in Italy I could not afford a high risk, A travel to the US could cost me thousand dollars.Since the US real estate is not my core business, a lower ROI and having an asset in foreign currency is fine for me. 

I have found that the demographic that uses airbnb tends to be younger or foreign.

Is there an established STR eco system to allow a remote foreign investor to successfully own and rent out a  property, i.e. multiple competitive Property Management companies, abundant labor supply and services, friendly government policies and tax schemes? 

Generally, a taxpayer can claim any capital gains tax already paid to the IRS as a foreign tax credit on his Canadian return under the U.S.

Thirdly, The business who set up my LLCs are telling me I do not need a foreign entity for my WY LLC in MI because "The subsidiaries being in Michigan are considered disregarded entities.

But with the dollar being so strong, many foreigners are coming to invest in the US.

If you can pay cash and are happy with a 5-6% return on cash, then go for it like the foreign investors do from outside the US.If you think any RE Agent is going to bring you great deals, good luck with that. 

IF... your foreign (not in NC) LLC has no "business" in the state other than property ownership, and your LLC does not conduct business as in executing leases using LLC managers (meaning hire property managers to perform all functions relating the rental "business", including the eviction process,) then you can invoke the NC General Statute exemption provided in NCGS 55-15-01(b)(11) under § 55-15-01.

@Sam Bastin- as a fellow foreign investor- and one that went into the Detroit market on a number of properties back in  2015-16  - I have only one word of advice- RUN and dont look back.