I am not excited at the prospect of hauling these items in our truck to the dump and risking an infestation of our vehicle.  

@Brad Hammond - Yes, it's actually been a little difficult for me to get a very precise picture on the STR rules across different cities and counties.

Not because all parentals fail, but because, over time, both of you may not precisely remember what the other said 5-10 years prior.

(http://mig.clubexpress.com/)As a fellow newbie, my best advice to you is:1) Decide what your strategy and REI niche will be2) Thoroughly read everything that pertains to your vehicle/strategy and niche here on BiggerPockets3) Ask meaningful, detailed questions and use the search function to see what other people have already posted about things that interest/confuse you4) Read the blog...there's so much information packed into this website to quickly get you up to speed5) DON'T RUSH into a dealI'm super excited about REI too and the potential it has as a powerful financial tool while adding value to local communities/economies.

I found your posts very informative and like your precise and pragmatic approach to the real estate investment landscape.

The property is wooded and littered with scrap metal, machinery, vehicles and various junk.

So yes, I could use your  calculation or a more precise calculation on my apartment complexes.  

Life insurance is necessary but I do not view it as an investment vehicle. 

Who really knows, but keep in mind that your "personal exposures", such as your vehicles, home, etc...

Real estate is a great vehicle and there are a lot of ways to be successful in it which is even more fascinating and probably enhances this "too many choices" problem.