How do they operate differently than condos?

Yes, this is a job for law enforcement.

One item that stands out is the fact you only visited the job site 3-4 times during the course of the 5 months the property was under construction.

I wonder if it would be good to talk with some other STR operators in the Atlanta area and get their opinion about your situation.

Good job

The rental income is nice, but the pile of cash in an after tax brokerage account and our monthly expenses being around $3500 (post move) is why I am able to leave the day job, not real estate.

@Jaron Walling Hi, i have been working at my families local restaurant since i was a kid. it pretty much doesnt operate smoothly without us being there but it is getting tiring and my parents who have been working these hours much longer than i (they are immigrants from albania hence why i also bust my ***) dont want to continue doing this forever. i also do some FB market flips and have an online store. i just hustle to do whats needed. i have low expenses so this has allowed me to save alot for investments. 

Please share any great data sources you have found or tips on evaluating areas.My 1-year goal is to purchase 3 multi-family properties, with 8 to 40 units, at least $5000/month of initial cash flow, and some opportunities to improve operations and increase cash flow.I am hoping to forge alliances with like-minded investors to fund Win-Win deals.I am so excited that I have officially started my RE Investing journey!

Don't mean to sound harsh, but amazing job saving $100K and I wish you the best of luck!!

Does the owner/operator have any experience with land development?