I currently manage a highly successful short-term rental arbitrage in Houston, boasting over 170 reservations in the last three years.

., 6.125%, 3.204pts, 25% DP, no ppp - 8.72% CoC ($82K savings over 30yrs) If you plan to keep this for the long haul (10 years) then you really should look into at least a couple of quotes with a 5 year prepayment penalty (Non QM - DSCR) - this should be able to get the rates down on that to near your conventional quotes

Is it legal for me to show the property to the prospective tenants as long as I don't collect commission or sign any paperwork. 

Purchase price: $290,000 Cash invested: $45,000 Short Term Rental (Airbnb) What made you interested in investing in this type of deal?

Why do you think purchase contracts are so long and have such small print?

This is because insurance proceeds are the path of least resistance in terms of collection (more on this below).

Which of the two, SBA or commercial loan, offers the best terms?

Every market is different, but for the long term assumptions.

I'm in the market to purchase a short-term rental in Saint George Utah but the market there (perhaps like many places) feels very overpriced. 

I find that converting the property into a duplex is a lengthy and costly process, and I want to start renting it legally without going through a long process, because I've spent for rehabs and don't want to put in more for now.