I am surprised by your comment on Bridge @Nathan Brooks is one of the most respected individuals in the industry.. maybe something fell through the cracks and he will want to know about it.

during refinance of 4th house, i asked banker if i could loan against the equity in house #4 to use as down payment for this house, #5. stopped #4 refinance and refinanced both at the same time. they were both refinancing and closing individually.

The rest focuses on the individual deal and if its numbers work.

What are some ways to secure financing for short -term Airbnb rentals knowing that they are more of a buy and hold.Any advice from individuals who have done this before on the best way to secure financing? 

All depends on the mood of the individual inspector that day. 

Some individuals may not be familiar with the website or prefer to use a different method for various reasons (tech problems, how they set up accounts, income structures ect).

They often outperform individual investors if we exclude owner-occupied financing mechanisms which you wouldn't be able to use at scale with $4M anyways.TLDR:You can invest privately through real estate funds.

I would love the opportunity to network with investors, lenders, contractors, property managers, and agents to build relationships, future business, and surround myself with like-minded and more experienced individuals so I can learn as much as I can!

While in school, network with other like minded individuals and make great lifelong contacts.

I am covered with Allstate and each is its individual policy w/ individual coverage limits etc.