Johnson City could be a great spot for STRs, especially if you focus on hospital staff rotations, visiting professors, or traveling professionals, which would balance out any seasonal dips in tourism.For STRs, consider targeting weekend travelers exploring the Appalachian Trail, Boone Lake, or local festivals.

When you analyze a market properly (1% Rules aren't properly), you're analyzing all the properties in that market at the same time.It's even more dangerous for newbies to use any Rule of thumb.Rules of thumb are nothing but shortcuts, which seems to be the growing method of doing anything now. 

At the heart of effective property management lies the ability to balance the competing interests of three critical stakeholders: owners, tenants, and vendors.

I definitely want to use the platform properly and not annoy others.

Quote from @Michael K Gallagher: we've generally seen a more balanced market here in central OH. 

The bids I won, are down payments on property that has "small" balances under $20K but I do not see how this is legit. 

There's certainly been an uptick in available properties over the last few years as some owners have grown tired, new construction is booming in new lots and ones that were lost in fires, & investors who bought in 2020-2022 who may've overpaid and weren't properly set up are struggling.

Having proper software and systems3.

@Chris Kay to learn to properly DIY manage you have two basic options:1) Trial & fire on your own, hopefully not making a major mistake that costs you tens of thousands of dollars.- Once your time is more impotant to you then the cost of a PMC, you can hire one.2) Hire a PMC to guide you on your first rental and learn from their expertise.- You can buy additional properties and DIY manage those, perhaps leaning on the PMC for any issues you're not sure how to handle on your own.Good luck:)

Take ownership of your mistake and learn to do the proper due diligence recommended above😊