Feel free to shoot me some specific questions if you want some help.

Feel free to send me a message if so.

The new mortgage on the new $340k duplex home which is an FHA loan is going to be a monthly payment of $2800 and we will refi ASAP (the current rate is 6.7%) when rates go down.We have done some nice improvements on the SFR and will be refinishing the wood floors before a renter moves in (July 1) so feeling like it's a great opportunity for the right long term renter and we plan to screen prospective tenants well.We are taking a $20k HELOC on the SFR for the downpayment and plan to pay that off within 12-18 months.

My niche was looking for areas that were run down but getting ready to gentrify (or so I thought, sometimes it's just a guess or gut feeling :-)Drive around the areas you have selected as possible money-makers and then drive, drive, drive.

This is just a person flat-out making things up and pretending to be the vessel of all knowing and that everything conforms with there FEELINGS of how things are. 

Feel free to reach out if you have any more specific questions or if you feel like I can help at all.

Do research on what are the most popular for STRs and if there is a missing niche in the area. 

Can anyone offer tried and true tips for securing a good contracting team for a small-scale investor?

Feel free to reach out.

Some quick tips I recommend.First 2-3 auctions...go to watch and observe.