You should consider a local Realtor in your market to advise you and collaborate.

So, I had a local shop make her several home decor items, and one of them was a nice mug that read, "Mike can fix that".

Use sites like BiggerPockets and local listings for deals.

@Jake Handler is a local agent who could assist you and point you in the right direction.

I am sure GC has great returns, but sometimes dealing with local RE Investors, you could get higher ROI because we want our private lenders to come back and refer us to their friends.

What are the demand drivers?

So sometimes if I have to spend a few hundred bucks to have the architect draw out the details to help the tradesman later down the road, I will. 2.) local municipalities fees.

It's not literally scanning your OTAs for openings, but if you knew you had one upcoming, you could set this up in a travel group about that local area and shoot promos out to its members. 

This involves thorough research on local trends, networking with other investors and property managers, and finding reliable contractors who deliver quality work on budget.

I've started working with a builder locally on our first Development/Build Project.