My conclusion is that there's a greater likelihood for a great experience when you book far in advance, when you're not shopping among the cheapest deals, and when you don't filter out much of the options for a special request.

Some of the Airbnbs we have stayed at (and we have stayed at a bunch) provide a welcome packet of information - filled with such information as local tourist attractions, nearby restaurants, a map, list of places to go shopping, etc.

@Jonathan Klemm I work for a decent sized pipe fitting shop that does work anywhere from indiana to Seneca, all the way up to the Wisconsin border.

I should not have been shopping for a little better rate as our mortgage broker gives us free access to a comps tool, free skip tracing, has used his network to provide us free preliminary title checks.  

Then it's time to shop around.

We used to sit in his lavish study in the basement of his downtown mansion and talk shop.

More interesting to me is that there's a brewery out there and a Pablo's Coffee Shop (when a hipster coffee shop moves in, something's going on).

I went shopping yesterday and felt like I was preparing for war.  

As I start to shop for my next STR, I want to self-manage to avoid that 20%+ fee.

The neighborhood is just down the street from my primary home and the neighborhood is minutes from the interstate and shopping as well as the best school district in the area.