You can find lots of YouTube videos with competent interviewees explaining why the next decade will be tough for stock market returns-with one calling for a 40% drop by April.

I like business competition just as much as the next red-blooded American, but for me running a start-up STR management company that I started in my garage, and funded myself, I can not compete with a $60 million backed VC company.

These tend to be boutique firms that are either local or regional.50+ you start to get into more of the national players: CBRE, Cushman Wakefield, etc.These are general trends I see in the midwest, but price is also a factor. 

I will be re posting but tips that apply nationally would be appreciated here anyways all you Houston players! 

I have had contractors that had underwhelming competence but nothing malicious like this.

There you should be able to meet and learn from experienced real estate investors about how your local market works and what the role of the various players in the transaction are.That said, believe in CA you have escrow agents and title agents. 

Find strong players in the asset class you want to focus/invest in, and join their team.

And frankly, having lived in Boston and competed against endless armies of students throwing $3k+/mo at tiny 2BR apartments I cannot believe any PM or owner in the city would not be similarly well enough off to ride out the downturn. 

IMO...You are best off trying to work out a payment plan with the resident or hiring a competent local property manager to see this through.

I invest in a county that has a limited number of permitted vacation rentals - these properties trade at a premium and only make sense to purchase if you are going to run it full-time as a vacation rental so you aren't competing against "regular" buyers who may use it as a second home or only rent part-time.I had a broker bring me an off-market deal this week and I struggled with what to offer given all the uncertainty regarding Covid.