Does anyone have experience with a property manager for a STR in the Ft.

Hope you can find a better property manager soon.

If I leave this amount in Sch-E, I get taxed at ordinary income tax rate at Federal and State level, which along with my regular W2 income can be substantial.

If you want to learn real estate while earning, look into leasing, property management, mortgage assistant, or real estate admin roles—a great way to break into the industry!

I already have RentRedi for managing the property.

When you go inside, the floor is level, then as you walk closer towards the kitchen, the floor starts to slant.

If you don’t like it, you can always pivot and sell, convert to a long-term rental, or move into another investment strategy with the equity and knowledge you’ve built.Starting this way means you’ll go through every key step: finding a deal, securing financing, managing tenants, and understanding property operations, but in the lowest-risk way possible.

Sales have plunged to 1995 levels according to one stat sheet I saw. 

Active operators are far more likely to succeed in the entry level SFH space and that's not who buys entry level homes from turn key operators. 

NAR Says - Existing home sales fall to lowest level in nearly 30 years and Median housing prices rose to a record high"The National Association of Realtors released data that showed existing home sales declined to the lowest level since 1995 last year, with 4.06 million homes sold on an annual basis.Meanwhile, the median home price median home price rose to a record high of $407,500 in 2024."