The small daily fee you will pay for social posts of your airbnb (doesn't have to be direct booking site) will pay off in one booking.

You just hold it, keep it occupied and well maintained, and let the years roll by. 

Make sure to prepare a professional proposal, highlight your STR track record, and be transparent with your financial projections.

The average repair will be $600 or less, MAYBE $1,000.

From there once a deal makes sense, pull the trigger, a lot of folks get stuck in analysis paralysis and I’m not saying don’t do your due diligence or be smart about it, but acting quickly and with intention will benefit you greatly in the long run.

., 10-year fixed at 3.5%) would be incredibly helpful!

Those states could be nearby in your market area.  

I've uploaded the template (well, it says it is for 15 minutes), but nothing ever happens.  

It will be remote, but since you live there now, you probably already have connections who either already know the house or local friends to find you good people to service things as needed.  

I believe you should be able to get one for 3.5% down.If I were in your situation, I would think about where I want to be living and where I want to be investing in real estate.