Here's a strategy to try.Go to your local library (or their online portal). 

Many variables to consider include the specific location of the home, the property manager you decide to choose, the history of the home and community, how well appointed the home is (what elements of the home will allow you to stand out in this market) and what months you decide to use for personal use.

I am a STR VA looking for another client, preferrably Gulf Coast location.  

.$2M in, at this future time, lightly levered RE.Supposing this is close to what you’d love, one could spit out a financial plan that looked something like the following:- Max HSA- Max 401(k)Use leftovers to go on a shopping spree buying RE at relatively low leverage, potentially on 15 year mortgages, in local LCOL area (which probably also means a relatively reasonable cash flow market)Obviously I’m making a ton of assumptions here and will be wrong in ten places.

The home is in a great neighborhood, and I expect it to appreciate greatly based on new development and being centrally located within the town.

Hey @Julie Brangenberg - I have an AirBnB here in Chicago but never in specific college towns...I would tend to say that it's probably not the best location unless you have boots on the ground there.I could also see more damage being done in college towns, higher repairs maintenance, and shorter stays but that is honestly just a hypothesisIs there a specific reason you want to get into the STR space?

Quote from @James Wise: I see local investors do the same.

Also, if BP members are going to use the best appreciating locations in their pro RE examples, then you must use those same locations when drawing the opposite conclusion.2) According to chatgpt whether true or not, rent decreased by up to 10% and dividend payouts decreased by 20%.

Those aren't always in the best locations (like next to railroad tracks) and on infill lots typically, but they're out there.Not sure where the MLS is wrong...they're there, but probably agents flagged them wrong somewhere that they don't show up in your search. 

Big difference.Do you know other local investors and did you ask them who their go-to agent is?