Appliances look nice until the pet hair destroys the fan on your nice stainless steel fridge and you are out another $1k+ to replace it... 

Generally speaking, I'm a fan of Stessa, and I use Stessa; however, I use Apartments.com for rent collection.

My job is our sole income and I get relocated for projects frequently so any property would have to be managed remotely (willing to invest anywhere in the states).Given the our situation above and our long term goals, I feel best next steps would be a heavy emphasis on networking and deal analysis.

You should 100% have insurance because of the worst case scenarios (what if someone dies and they blame you the property owner), but it's not something you'll want to use frequently. 

But the IRS has made it clear that they are leary of these and not big fans.  

Quote from @Matthew Crivelli: Personally, I'm not a fan of Air B & B.

https://www.biggerpockets.com/...12 Frequently Asked Questions (And Answers) About DSCR Loanshttps://www.biggerpockets.com/...8 More Commonly Asked Questions and Answers to DSCR Loanshttps://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/eight-questions-and-answe...What Documents Do You Need for a DSCR Loan?

I would compare my return with any market, anywhere but 1) this is a different San Diego market than the one I have been so successful in 2) while I am a big fan of leverage, I am not a fan of over leverage.

I'm a big fan of lakefront properties as vacation rentals, and the area these cabins are in is popular for tourists, so I felt confident in the deal.How did you find this deal and how did you negotiate it?

I am not a fan of Airbnb's tool.