Furnishing costs for a short-term rental (STR) typically range from $10,000–$25,000 for a well-equipped 3-bedroom property, depending on quality, location, and style.

Quote from @Blake McWilliams: Using and running a CRM is what you need to help the business you have in real estate grow.

The short version is that you want a strong and diverse job market, low unemployment rates, a growing population, low vacancy rates and new development, affordability/cost of living, real estate laws and court system, good schools, and low crime.Check out the videos from Dave Meyers with BiggerPockets.

Many immigrants send their money to another country, which means those dollars don't hit our economy.6.

we can do it not rented but rate will be significantly higher. easier and more cost effective to rent it. unless the bridge money needs to be paid back asap or you need the funds back to buy more, then a cost analysis needs to be done. personally id get it rented at market rent or a touch below if time is a factor. 

I first like to short list based on numbers and then deep dive.

The issue we often run into is the pure cost to build...you have ideas or ways you are working around that?

2) The minimum hours required are 750 hrs, but if running a short term rental, 100 hrs is supposed to be adequate, is that still true ?

After reflecting on a strategy someone used to buy 15 short-term rentals off-market in just 12 months, I thought of an idea.

This seems unlikely in the long run. you are forgetting that someone is paying down your principal for you so you need to take that into consideration.