In my market, the difference between the cashflow for STRs and LTRs is not near enough to make up for the extra work involved with running an STR but we really enjoy managing our STR.

@Tim Mieney I enjoyed our conversation the other day.

As long as they do not exceed the maximum for the house (generally 2 per room), just let go and enjoy having a longer term renter

She has been an amazing tenant and I really enjoy working with her.

(Ex: comfortably dining, relaxing in living areas, etc) I have that maximizing living space, the area where the guests will be enjoying their stay the majority of the time, with amenities that fit in is the best bet for all!

And for the worst case if we decide not to buy in that market, we also spent time in a place we enjoyed anyway PLUS you would have gained some experience when interacting with locals, realtors, and other folks which will set you up for your next market you are interested in.Hope that helps.Mike

In a few cases it was a more experienced investor looking to have new/junior investors give them leads ("bird dogging") which is fine I guess but not really the networking dynamic I personally like or enjoy.

I'm an IT guy by trade so while I may not be able to add much on the real estate side (yet), I always enjoy helping people so if there is an opportunity for me to add value let me know.  

The original owner then can sit back, relax, and enjoy zero responsibility.

If they're employed, they've already passed any background check that I would have.One thing to keep in mind is that you're going to be asking strangers to move in with each other and they're all counting on you to provide a safe and enjoyable living experience.