All,First, thank you in advance for all the insight I will receive from all of you.

just some things to think about.in addition to the BP family of podcasts, the rental income podcast with Dan Lane is a great podcast and he interviews a lot of medium size landlords who aren't flashy but really know what they're doing.

In addition to furnishings, t will need work (such as new countertops) to meet my vision for upscale couples retreat.

Many lenders will charge additional rate increase if loan is under $150K.

There's no need for additional house to build etc etc...Also if one is building house, they wouldn't the one that buy it, they would prefer to live in neighborhood that's safe and friendly to them.

As I inch closer to 60 I find that owning my time is more important to me than any additional cash. 

Further, if you want access to MLS, there is an additional fee.

Thats perfect addition to his reviews. 

If the in-place rents generate don't generate enough cashflow to cover your debt service, you'll want to plan to bring additional equity to the deal to cover the shortfalls.

It sounds like you're struggling with the basics.The best advice I ever received from a 75 year old mentor, was "Make your mistakes on paper.