It is important to me at this point that i am able to take a trip there to look at the property if required.

Disney is only a 2 hr drive and I've made the trip and back the same day several times.

I listened to his book and I loved it. it is the narrowing in on a particular market that is tripping me up.

I think there is a market for that....maybe just guys without wives on fishing trip who want to walk to bars and marina, or college students/younger crowd who want to be near the party scene, maybe airline staff.  

The last couple here, one of them got a bit too drunk and tripped off the deck and fell in the pool. 

A few thousand a year for periodic trips to check in on the properties?

I had one lady tell me she lost it all playing slot machines in a trip to Las Vegas (true story) and I wasn't impressed.

I just actually rented my first str on a fishing trip to montana last week and I used VRBO.. and looking for a unit in Maui when I go in Dec  so going to use VRBO again.WE have our first one as an owner up and running in INdy.. got tenants first week on market.. hopefully a good sign.

Usually I hear about people trying to minimize the amount of trips they have to make, but this makes sense to me

Turns out they had dropped a bunch of change in the sink (could have been their children) and the garbage disposal had jammed, tripping the overload on the disposal.