I operate in 7 markets and in each market we have a quality control manager or runner, a cleaner with at least 2 backups, and a handyman/woman.

Are you talking about your local market or just real estate in the US in general?

In my opinion Option 1 could be a bit risky in today's environment as we are not sure if prices have hit the bottom yet, there are positive signs in the CoS market that point to price appreciation in the future, but there is a good chance the interest rates are not coming down for a while, which will have a negative impact on home values. 

Market Research How did you add value to the deal?

This could be a faster route to get your short-term rental up and running.2.Look for Motivated Sellers:In the current market, there may be opportunities with motivated sellers who are willing to negotiate on price or terms.

When I first started my investing career, I started with DealMachine and was sending out Direct Mail Marketing.

I agree that Zillow may not be the best for management/screening, but they are good at marketing.

Long term tenants in place currently paying below market rent at $1200/M.

These are primarily for "off market" purchases.TOP 10 Motivated Seller Lists - Try each of these Driving for dollars - (Finding houses that need a little lovin’ and contacting the owner) Propstream has an App that gives you immediate information on the property and saves it to your list.

This is not my favorite option as most real estate agents wouldn't know how to handle the marketing of a property with a tenant currently in it. 2) Find an investor friendly agent who might already have buyers looking for that type of property.