I’m very close to entering the STR market and I may very well be taking a major risk and loss being too late to game but i did decide to do what you recommended (before seeing this post).

I'd recommend checking out some turnkey property managers to get a sense of the numbers. 

Any softwares you would recommend? 

Additionally, could anyone recommend the best platform for listing STR and MTR properties tailored to traveling nurses in the Birmingham area?

Can you recommend any funding companies or lenders for my first project?

Recommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.So, when investing in areas they don’t really know, investors should research the different property Class submarkets.

I've seen a lot of people recommend buying a MFH with the VA loan and then house hack/ make improvements, or if a MFH isn't available, do the same with a SFH and then move out after a year and repeat with a new property.

So that the BP community can find you more easily and learn more about you, I'd recommend filling out your profile. 

@Will Boller I would highly recommend Hostfully.

Does anyone have a title company that they'd recommend out that way?