I also happen to be friends with the owner of the company that supplies their data. 

M.We do not do a full repaint every turnover, but there are always touch-ups ... the more furniture moves in-and-out, the more touchups that will be required.  

I never have bid at an auction, but I do recall a real-estate attorney and teacher mentioning that, at least in California, it's common to come equipped with a supply of $10,000 cashier's checks.

He also told me that new piping was laid under the house to the main supply.

What about the supply of vacant lots?

I would love to chat with any locals who are willing to supply me with the information I'll need in these final steps of closing deals.

In my experience, people that genuinely profit from vacation rentals are people that buy exceptionally smartly (truly unique location, and property, expertly designed for that vacation rental market in that area) and do not cut off their cashflow by using it themselves during peak times (or worse, giving it to generally unappreciative family members) and understand that regular reinvestment in new furniture, dishware, and maintenance is not optional. 

This is a great area to invest because demand is high than supply and the laws are landlord friendly.  

Do you intend on supplying your tenants with internet?

I have a large company supply the washer and dryer, located in the basement.