Look at their marketing strategy.

Networking at local meetups and connecting with agents who work with investors sounds like a great strategy.

. - As @Jonathan Klemm mentioned, passing on this load so that you can be more present and attentive to your family and not be essentially working  24/7, on-call for the needs of tenants and property emergencies... can be worth the management fees. 

STR feels more like a strategy to break even or eek out a meager return on a great asset than a strategy to cashflow.

What's the best calendar strategy for doing a mix of MTR with STR? 

Anything single family will require very creative strategies in order to generate cashflow. 

Their experiences could offer valuable insights and strategies to help you navigate the market.Good luck on your journey! 

Ideally, I would like to use the buy and hold strategy, with a 50k budget to get started.  

Quote from @Robin Bryant: From an owner-agent perspective, investing in Section 8 properties with a buy-and-hold strategy can be a great way to build and grow your portfolio.

Investment Criteria:• “Core” strategy – High-quality properties with minimal renovations or maintenance issues• Stable tenants & cash flow – Long-term leases, steady occupancy• Commercial preference (?)