Welcome Stephen,I like your plan, I'm in the process (accepted offer), of my 1st vacation rental.Here is a link to the forum for VR (vacation home rentals),http://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/530-short-term...You may find it full of useful info as well as reading/listening to anything from Heather Bayer (who has her own podcasts), & Matt Landau.Check out VR listing sites like VRBO & airbnb, if you haven't already, you will see what your competition is doing and decide what amenities you will need, to be competitive (like perhaps a hot tub).  

Besides, it feels better than frowning.Wholesaling is challenging, competitive.

I since have transitioned into mobile homes (no competition and different market) and I'm really leaning towards more rural town investing.

Besides charging a competitive market rent and providing a safe & clean rental there's not much you can do.

Depends on the market but there is enough pie to go around even in competitive markets where good deals are hard to find.

Realty Shares  Nav Athwal president very competitive on rates and terms2.

There is a lot of competition in the market.The city is historically very very tenant friendly.

My nearest competition is two houses, one a few doors away, same age, also stucco, slightly larger, with people in it, at 165K last I looked, and another one, slightly larger, block, a few blocks away, 11 years older at $135K.

You need to determine what is the competition?

There's less competition on the garbage properties, and the banks seem to be more eager to get these pieces of crap off of their books.