First, the backyard is not graded correctly and it slopes towards the house which allows the water to pool and then it seeps in through a tiny hole. 

The 2020 tax assessment on my new rental has assessed values for the shed and the pool under 'Yard' items.

It was also located in a cul de sac and across the street from the community swimming pool.

Air bnb and homeaway are proving to be terrible search engines. best case scenario, looking for a house with a private pool, quite area nad a few acres of land would be an added bonus. was hoping to find someone here who deals with short term/vacation rentals that can provide leads

My niche is multifamily syndications, and the data we look for in a market/deal is:- Market Performance: Rent Growth, Market Vacancy, Long-Term Vacancy Average, Adverse Cycle Occupancy Bottom, Median Income, Employment Pool, Rent to Cost of Ownership, Income to Housing Cost Ratio, Market Rankings, Construction/Absorption Ratio, Pricing, Cap Rates, Trends in Capital Market, Etc. - Forecasted Market Performance of the Same- Property Specific Performance: Asking Rents, Actual Rents, Vacancy, New Lease Trade-Outs, Average Vacant Days, Lease Terms, Retention Rates, Renewal Trade-Outs, Sales Record, Renovations Completed, Market Comparable Amenities based on Class of Asset, Revenue, Rent Roll, Trailing 12 Months of Operating Expenses, Property Taxes, Property Insurance, Market Trends of Specific Floor Plans, Etc.

You are being very generous here, a discount doesn't solve their problem, if you were going to do anything you'd buy noise cancelling headphones, but in reality construction on stairways, roads, landscaping, pools etc. just happens and there isn't anything anyone can do to stop it.

I would second what @Sean McDonnell said:if the base is bigger, you're more likely to avoid issues with BRACs and you are typically have a good pool of renters.

Our home is great but lacking space, small kitchen, small rooms, small closets, small bathrooms, and I'd love a pool for my kids.  

Are you going to be pooling your money together with other investors?

No it is still viable, most people are still paying their rent and even if they don't in the short term nowhere has "cancelled rent" yet to my knowledge, you might have a smaller tenant pool if you are house hacking roommate style but the original buy a duplex and rent out one side and live in the other is still alive and well.