Focus on neighborhoods near employers or schools, and explore slightly outside Austin for more affordable options. 

The problem is: A traditionally financed low-down payment house-hack with traditional long-term rents simply won't cash flow during occupancy, or after, in many MCOL-HCOL markets in the US. 95% leverage at even 5.7% just won't work in a lot of cases right now.

there are so many threads on BP from folks in NYC or CA or DC who bought a property in a "low cost" market and immediately regretted it:https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/963/topics/1195280-expe...https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/48/topics/1160450-run-i...https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/48/topics/1137397-balti...https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/52/topics/1010977-12-00...i provide this information not to discourage you, but so that you can learn from what they did without making the same mistakes.  

I’ve been researching options like offering fully furnished rentals for traveling professionals or executives, especially with major employers expanding their footprints in the region.

I am just starting out and have 1 STR.Would love hear the pros/cons that you took into consideration when deciding how you want to manage your STR.Self managing STR properties, from afar, while maintaining other employment, is only a possibility because of the new technology made available in the last 10 - 15 years.  

Also be aware of Unrelated Business Income Tax (or UBIT) on leveraged real estate inside of an IRA.Or better yet, since you are self-employed - go with a truly self-directed Solo 401k plan, which would be a much better option and will help you avoid the UBIT on this investment.

They keep rent low, give gifts and homemade cookies for Christmas, make upgrades whenever the tenant requests,  accept all the late rent excuses, etc.The truth is, your tenant is not your friend.

Low Risk: TDAs are insulated from market volatility, offering peace of mind.4.

The biggest employer shut down about a year ago and 3  hurricanes (2 major) hit directly in the last year.

Hello Kyle,When screening applications for the properties that I manage, I always look for:- Income of at least 3 times the monthly rent (verified through the employer)- Credit score of 580+- Rental verification with past landlords (no outstanding balances, no late payments, and the property left in acceptable condition)- No history of collections, evictions, or criminal offenses- No overdue debt (except medical debt)I have found this screening standard very helpful when finding tenants who pay on time and treat the property well!