Makes me think more about it. 400k does seem high when you put it like that.

The quality of the carpet was very low they looked very shabby and flat in short order and the adhesive was a bear to get off when we tried to replace them.

Check in with @Joseph Chiofalo they have high LTV Fix & Flip financing available nationwide and do a lot of lending in TN and the south in general.

I just listed a 3br house for rent. Until now, I haven't thought about how to handle it if not all of the applicants meet my minimum credit score. Should I just deny them all? Or, should I accept with conditions if on...

That being said, it's tough to get over the relatively high rate of return for STRs when you are comparing them to LTR. 

Make sure your listings have high-quality photos and possibly even virtual tours.

High stress but it paid off, I stopped teaching and managed to be a solo agent and since then I always had a good flow of clients.It requires a ton of sacrifice but I think is possible if you are willing to deal with high stress and make yourself available at all times for your clients.

$7,000 is a reasonable rate for a good job with quality paint that will last 7+ years.

You could bring an equity partner in or find a gator lender which is super high interest but your best bet is to save up

Perhaps focus on homes with longer days on market, ones that didn't sell during the initial two weeks because priced too high or needs updates but would still pass a loan appraisal.