Hey DJ, I'm actually in Tampa myself and I've set up several LLCs for our operations.

California max 2% increase a year (unless doing significant renovation like adding rooms, an ADU where it's reassessed)I talked to a very honest Indy property management company who said the people who do well with Class C buy in volume (not your typical beginning investor) because the good properties offset the losers.

You certainly can list the property yourself, and I'd say typically you'll get less money for it and it'll take longer to sell if you do it that way, but if you really don't want to pay commission then go for it.

I mostly look at the typical sites like Zillow, realtor.com, Redfin, or even privy.

If I just bought a home that's reasonably priced, maybe with something like "needs TLC" in the description, could that be profitable as a rental home, with the idea that homes typically appreciate, and I wouldn't have a mortgage?

if the fundamentals on the market and location are sound there is always a way to creatively work through and imrpove the operations.  

Down here in San Antonio, most first-time investors I run into typically will have $50,000 - $60,000 in cash to be able to comfortably afford putting a down payment and having funds set aside for renovation cost.My question to you would be, how much funds do you currently have set aside for a real estate purchase?

I agree John, but there are golf cart rentals in just about every Beach Community that is golf cart friendly, and typically those seem to be pretty high earning individuals.

This implies either killer off market deal (hard to find, typically needs work and/or has risk) or great value add (typically require work and have some risks). 

@Robert JohnsonI would strongly encourage you to make sure you actually want to own and operate an STR... which puts you in the hospitality business.I only own LTR but I follow a lot of STR operators, including people in my network, and it has gotten much tougher both to buy and to operate.