My 2 cents is that for non-sleeping areas, hot tubs, pool tables and movie rooms are top amenities that guest have personally told me they like the best.I think an outdoor rated pool table (or maybe ping pong table), TV and comfortable seating would likely be the best bang for your buck.

Considering the high interest rate, the projects and COC return seems too good to be true.

A wrap-around agreement is a type of secondary mortgage financing and involves the buyer paying the seller directly for a residential property — often at a higher interest rate than the original mortgage.

Here is what is good: in Colorado they pay 9 points above the current US Federal Discount Rate (which is 5.5% right now) - so that would be an interest rate of 14%+.

I am using a FHA loan on my primary residence and don't want to refinance because we have a great interests rate. 

Because one of the best things about investing in real estate is the tax benefits. when you invest with your SDIRA, you do not get to take advantage of those benefits. but with notes, where income is interest income and typically taxed at ordinary income rates - that is huge if you can defer or not pay taxes on that income.

I am happy to expand on topics of rates, cities, etc.  

This will have one more bed and bath which will bring a higher nightly rate but I'd be happy if it performed as well as our current STR.

AirDNA says the occupancy rate for STRs in Raleigh is 33%, which sounds low to me, and as I mentioned, there are 107 empty full-unit MTRs.

If you bought under market, put at least $10k in rehab work you may refinance 75% of the new appraised value, (can exceed 100% of the cost spent, however there is a rate adjustment)