Dude above @Matt Higgins is correct, Current can be not reliable but checking it at a minimum can determine if they gave you a legit number and not their buddy.

This has given me a lot of confidence in Airbnb as a reliable source of income, and I'd like to see how I can expand this in a cost efficient way?

However, it is not the complete solution. 

Zillow and those sites aren't going to give you reliable comps at all. 2-Basically to find a deal, an actual deal in this market you need to do your own marketing and deal finding.

In your context your solution works as well or better because you are making the decision for an individual property.

My criteria for something like this would be that you would have to show that you have three times the rent of my house plus the rent/mortgage of the property you live in of verifiable, reliable income.  

I know it has been pulled into question with stricter regulation but unaware of timelines and/or proposed solutions.

Finally, a property manager who is responsible, reliable, and professional.Overall, the decision of who you work with is much more important compared to the township you choose to buy in.

$/sq ft isn't a reliable number in that it's non-linear. 

A simple solution would be to call some of the owners to ask if they know what is going on