thanks for your time and help rent to retirement works directly with build to rent developers like us around the country once they are framed up. you are buying properties pretty much at market value but with a hand holding. you can work directly with a builder or directly with them. they are just an intermediary. they take 5% on what we make as a builder but have a large list of investors and a systemized approach to selling new builds. if you want to get a better deal I'd recommend directly contacting builders and building it yourself. fly to the market. spend 2 days, tour new builds, get a feeling for how it's going. if your builder isn't building multiple at a time then I wouldn't recommend working with them. rent to retirement is a well oiled and well run machine. they've had their ups and downs with dozens of transactions in florida but modified their process. they are well known and established and transparent. if you have a more specific market and feel confident in your ability to vet deals try it out. happy to talk more my info is in my signature. we work directly with them to sell new builds and no organization is perfect but I have good things to say about them as a builder and potential build to rent developer that sells build to rent triplexes and single family homes through them to end buyers in California like the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego 

My second house was under contract before it was even listed, but the combination of my GC disappearing and having to restart the permitting process for the carport in March right at the start of Corona lock downs dragged that out and eventually feel out of contract.

We get inquiries all of the time on Airbnb/VRBO/etc for large group functions at our properties, even if we say in the listing it is not allowed. 

Along with your list, consider building a local team in each market to make managing your STR easier.

First time working with a contractor here. Does anyone have an example of what a contract should look like and the details in the scope of work? I'm wondering how much specifics I need to include for each line item. 

The strategies you listed are drastically different from each other.

If you need to get it rented fast, a great property manager would list the home for $2100 (below market) and get several quality applicants competing against each other to drive the price up to the max so you don't risk vacancy by starting out too high and gradually reducing to find the sweet spot.

This was something I was intrigued about and the post jumped back to the top of the list when you asked yours. 

But then, do all three homes go into ONE trust, listing the two parents and the three daughters, or do they create three trusts? 

You can find a bunch of lists that mention top amenities such as hot tub, sauna, etc.