You're smart to focus on properties that appreciate because that is where the real money is in real estate IME. 

STR's are uncertain due to the term length, one month you can make all the money in the world, and the next you could be paying for those bills out of pocket, so it would have to be strategically operated, but at the same time they can be a fantastic source of income!

True, the banks DO have trillions of dollars lying around but they aren't lending it because they can make risk free money by buying treasuries from the Fed at lower interest rates.

@Bill Fanelli I am not personally using it, but I heard it can be a bit troublesome in terms of onboarding.

I personally think networking & closely monitoring other creative deals done by which attorney would be a good place to start.

I actually just purchased the second one in March as the owner needed out fast and I had a few other reasons that made it a good buy for me personally.  

Let the money talk. 

With that in mind, I would ignore that aspect.That said, I always like using the cheapest money first. 

Quote from @Emory Clayton: Personally, I only allow applicants to use cosigners if they are full-time students.

It's a great way to increase your net worth and these loans can also be used to pull cash out of a property as it appreciates allowing you to reinvest money into new deals.Happy to connect to discuss further.