Surprisingly, when you research them at current STR’s, reviews speak very highly of them.

Volume without quality, not surprising they are not at the top for most searches.

And always get everything in writing so there are no surprises later.

They were surprisingly much lower than Home Depot’s estimate and several different private contractors.

For example, we work with new construction duplexes in Indy that not only have lower insurance costs but are also brand-new properties, which means fewer surprises when it comes to inspections and repairs.If you're ever interested in diversifying or looking at markets that might offer you better returns and fewer insurance headaches, feel free to reach out!

Some people are surprised by what they learn when they do the math.  

So many things can go wrong with a partner and it never surprises me how many people do dumb things (that you wouldn't guess by meeting them) that could be catastrophic in a real estate deal.

.- LendersI want to find a lender that I can rely to provide me a steady stream of debt and who I can show they can rely on me to provide them a good return without dealing with any surprises on my end.

OP obviously randomly bought a place, using hopeium as primary power of analysis, and to no surprise things did not end well. 

Like @Greg M. mentioned for those 'in the industry' it isn't really a surprise, nor is it expected to get better for awhile.