There are several layers to this, but, as someone who analyzes deals for clients all day every day and pays for very expensive software to aggregate short term rental occupancy and booking rates, I can tell you that the best performing properties are almost always outside of traditional vacation areas.

Traditional financing/ VA home loan

There are many ways that you can get into real estate without going through a bank and getting a traditional loan.

@Shan Stratton I was able to get 30 year financing on a 4-plex; however, it is not with a traditional bank.

However, for me, it’s a real life rags to riches story (and I remind my wife about it frequently!”.

And yet I was get 5 star reviews and he was getting nitpicky comments.The only explanation I can figure is that when people see a white male Airbnb host, they see a professional investor with a business that is making them rich.

Not sure what effect this will have on investors who make all cash offers or sellers whose RE for some reason does not qualify for traditional financing.  

If you have not, great books to read are:• Rich Dad, Poor Dad• The Millionaire Next Door• Cash Flow Quadrant • Tax Free Wealth• Set For Life• Rental Property Investing• The Millionaire Real Estate Investor• The REAL Book of Real Estate• So Good They Can’t Ignore YouYou are more than welcome to reach out if you have any questions.

I've also considered using the traditional method. 

Once you go STR investment, you never will go back to the traditional long term strategy!