I ended up starting a property management company since most of my clients were investors buying rental properties in Austin, and now I primarily help other investors purchase their investments, and manage them. 

Some landlords will not talk to you unless you have a signed form by the tenant authorizing communication or the tenant calls to authorize in advance. 

It’s essential to recognize that all investments carry assumptions and risks, but informed decisions are based on historical data and trends.

Im happy to share any info I have based on my personal expierences along with my referl network.

You are obligated to provide the oldest verifiable operating statement (base year), which is adjusted into today's dollars (Using an LA City formula for inflation) and this is compared to your current year (yes with receipts, cancelled checks, bank statements, k1's etc), which can be significant. 

A 1031 exchange can be a good option because although there is no cash involved in the deal, you would still recognize a gain based on the fair market value of the properties being received over the basis of the property you're giving up (if it's a gain).

This will help guide you to the best cities based on your expectations.

Your loan amount will be based on the lower of the purchase price and appraised value. 

Running your numbers based off a short term rental or medium term rental rate is going to get you in trouble.

I am based in Charlottesville VA and even though I make excellent cash flow on my STRs, that cash flow has always been dwarfed by my appreciation.