I'm only in Atlanta a couple of times a year, so I'd be setting up a vacation rental that I would use occasionally.

It is just about what flavor of ice cream you love and the occasional bad taste you can stomach from it, keep going, and be happy still.    

The next consideration is checking on the septic system occasionally. 

Thanks @Brian White - the site is ripropinfo.com - and beside's Brian's excellent insights you'll also need to register with the RI Secretary of State, @Steve Porcello, as an out of state landlord.If you're serious about investing in RI I'd recommend joining or staying apprised of (and occasionally attending for relevant topics) RIREIG which usually meets the 3rd Thursday of each month (rireig.com).RI often takes inspiration from MA with various laws, but they are not exactly the same and it's important to know the differences, such as various landlord-tenant considerations, lead paint, fire coding, etc.

When I look at Airbnb there don't really seem to be many "dedicated Short Term Rentals", it moreso seems like homes that people just have up for rent occasionally. 

Generally speaking, these types of deductions are going to be added to depreciable basis, but they can occasionally be at least partially deductible, depending on what you've got going on.Consulting with a knowledgeable tax pro will get you a more definitive answer. 

I live in Ithaca, NY and I run into that problem occasionally with people looking to buy short term rentals.

Just reading books, blogs, forums, listening to the BP podcast, and attending the occasional local real estate meetup in my free time.

.- Landlording/owning the property is mostly smooth-sailing, but at occasional times can be aggravating, time-consuming, or stressful.If I sell this house, I would not immediately buy another property.

I had a few rentals that I owned with a partner (just sold) and do occasional mailings for cash purchases.