Had our son in high school help out landscaping, running skidsteer, putting up signage, clean out units, run software, etc.  

Also, planning to use the other side of the unit as short term rental.Any advise which could make this more seamless would be highly appreciated!! 

Start complaining and take it as high up as you need to go until these brokerages take you seriously. 

If you are interested in investing out of state I highly recommend that you build a strong team in your chosen location.

As this would be in NYC the price point is very high so it makes a massive difference.

In the recent transactions Iv dealt with high rises Iv seen many special assessments in place for reconstruction of elevators and other contributing factors.

@Chris Wilburn,I think rents are staying high due to lack of inventory.

I live in central Oregon, a HIGH cost of living area...I live in a great apartment complex and rents are at least $500/mo lower than a typical mortgage here.I am thinking about buying an investment BEFORE my permanent residence to keep my monthly CF and savings high.What are the pros and cons?

As far as a general STR strategy, a nice 3x2 house within an hour of a major attraction is not too much to manage and can drive a nice nightly rate if you go with high end design. 

Hi All, I've worked for a non-profit my entire professional career (ie, my W2 income is not very high).