A good option might be single family properties in Saginaw - they pay their own utilities and maintain their own lawns/snow removal, so it saves you time and money, and they're easier to sell if the need arises.  

Will your identified markets be an easy or difficult area to sell once it’s time?

Also would it be better to sell my home?

I've been buying and selling Real Estate for a little over a year here in the Hampton Roads.

IE paying 1.5 for a fixer putting 300k into it or 500k then selling for 2.5  .. 

Ask them if they're open to selling.

IMO the money being made in STR arbitrage right now is by people who got in early and by people selling the "learn my 5 top ways to make money in real estate now with no money down!"

Let's say it sells for $300k for numbers sake.Since I have a loan that loan has to be paid off.

Anyways- if it were you, would you go ahead and redo the kitchen with new cabinets/granite, and put in new windows - or would you leave them as is - and spruce up the kitchen with a coat of paint to the cabinets as a temporary update , and just wait 5-10 years when it's time to sell to do those type of upgrades/rehab (New windows and New kitchen).

Regardless of which entity owns the shares (You or the LLC) you will have to pay capital gains when you sell the shares (If there were gains on the shares).