I'll just add a local perspective: North Atlanta ie city, Sandy Springs, or Alpharetta?

Would love to be a resource for you here locally in Jacksonville!

All are local except for one is a national brand auto supply store, using this for a warehouse. 

Zillow, For Sale By Owner posts on facebook, your local newspaper, and craigslist.Wish you luck in your venture.

It looks good) I stumbled across someone locally who does it, but I'm sure you could find someone there if you or other out-of-town investors like the idea of paying a bit more for that level of security and obtain a remote monitoring source of the exterior of the properties.

Then I work with a local insurance broker give them a valuation of the property, explain that the property is being rented and by how many people.

.✅ Hands-On Experience – If you plan to grow your real estate portfolio, managing tenants yourself can teach you valuable lessons about leases, maintenance, and local rental laws.✅ More Control – You’ll personally handle tenant screening, rent collection, and property upkeep, ensuring everything is done to your standards.✅ Stronger Tenant Relationships – Being involved directly allows you to build rapport with your tenants, which can lead to better communication and longer leases.Cons of Self-Managing❌ Time-Consuming – Dealing with maintenance requests, late-night emergencies, and tenant disputes can quickly become a second job.❌ Legal Risks – Chicago has strict landlord-tenant laws.

I'm a local real estate agent and would love to help you out on making this deal work.

STRs demand more time even though alot of things can be automated. you will managing cleaners, damage, guest experience, supplies, and more.4) Use AirDNA to see what an estimate of revenue can be, check Airbnb in your local neighborhood to see if anyone else if getting higher rates, and use BiggerPockets STR calculator to see what common expenses you may be forgetting.

If you ever have questions or are looking to bounce ideas off another local investor let me know.