I think the language you mentioned basically just means they have the right to say no, but not simply because they're hitting grand slams.  

This is much lower than the costs associated with refinancing.Benefits of Mortgage RecastingLower Monthly Payments: The most immediate benefit is a reduced monthly payment, which can free up cash for other financial goals.Save on Interest: By reducing your principal balance, you’ll pay less interest over the life of the loan, potentially saving thousands of dollars.No Credit Check or Appraisal: Unlike refinancing, recasting doesn’t require a credit check, income verification, or home appraisal, making it a quicker and simpler process.Keep Your Current Interest Rate: If you have a favorable interest rate on your current loan, recasting allows you to maintain it while still lowering your payments.Drawbacks of Mortgage RecastingRequires a Lump Sum: Not everyone has the cash on hand to make a significant lump sum payment, which can make recasting inaccessible for some homeowners.Doesn’t Shorten Loan Term: While your monthly payments are lower, recasting doesn’t reduce the length of your loan.

A STR is a completely different animal in my opinion, in that it requires more work and much more compromise, but financially is worth the effort. 

It's simply overwhelmingly nuts. 

Just make sure you have all the required permits, including alcohol.

They were thinking of planning another one that required massive loans (7 figures). 

Deduct NEW property taxes after you buyDeduct home insurance costsDeduct maintenance percentage, typically 10%Deduct vacancy+tenant nonperformance percentage(we recommend 5% for Class A, 10% Class B, 20% Class C, good luck with Class D)Deduct whatever dollar/percentage of cashflow you wantNow, what you have left over is the amount for debt service.Enter it into a mortgage calculator, with current interest rate for an investment property, to determine your maximum mortgage amount.Divide the mortgage amount by either 75% or 80%, depending on the required down payment percentage - this is your tentative price to offer.If the property needs repairs, you'll want to deduct 110%-120% of the estimated repairs from this amount.Be sure to also research the ARV and make sure it's 10-20% higher than your tentative purchase price.As long as the ARV checks out, this is the purchase price to offer.It is probably significantly below the asking price.

Utter blasphemy, only "unsophisticated" investors buy in cash.An experienced investor once told me "why use my cash, when I could just default on OPM" I know its not popular thought on BP.. and of course ramp up requires it unless you inherit a ton of dough but as we age out I sure like free and clear and no debt.. just the hassle factor of having to make payments :)

My contract with my property managers requires my approval for any expense over $500.

I think in this environment lenders are changing requirements, guidelines, and product availability daily.