Thanks for introducing yourself Lacore, it's great to see that you've been active on the site.Thanks,-Michael

When they called my business model intentional fraud with jail time, and said they are actively going after guys like me, I decided it wasn't worth it.

I want to get active in my investing, but I want to make sure I cover my bases.

The main activities to manage a Short Term Rental are:1.

We are active in several TN markets including Montgomery, Robertson, Davidson, Cheatham, and Dickson counties.

My frustration right now is having way more money/funding to buy properties than I can find, however I'm not actively looking locally right now either. 

This is pretty informative discussion that you may find beneficial as you sort things out:https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/51/topics/527...There are several of us who specialize in Solo 401k and are active here on the forum, you should reach out and speak in person. 

They talked about the following method for those who don't want to be super active in real estate:Buy one house a year, ensure rent covers all expenses at a minimum Have each house on a 15 or 20 year noteOnce you hit year 16 or 21 (whatever you amortize the loan for), start doing cash out refinancesThis method only requires one house (more would work too) a year, and would greatly supplement or even provide a retirement.  

What do you find appraisers weigh more heavily in their calculations- current market activity, or proximity to the location?

You need to realize that it's far more common to get your money back out (or a portion of) than it is to get a deal w/ no money down.....While nothing down can happen, its RARE and isn't realistic if you want to be an active investor.