On other extreme let's look at that, a "good" STR business. 

They may have been introduced to wholesaling as a low-barrier entry into real estate and never considered licensing as a viable option.Why Getting Licensed Could Be Beneficial:Access to MLS: Licensed agents can access MLS listings, making it easier to find deals and run comps.Credibility: Being licensed can increase trust and credibility with sellers and buyers.Expanded Opportunities: As you mentioned, having a license opens up the option to list properties traditionally when wholesaling isn’t the best fit.Legal Clarity: Licensing helps clarify what you can and can’t do, reducing the risk of running into legal issues that plague unlicensed wholesalers.It’s a balancing act, but for many serious operators, getting licensed seems like a logical step to expand opportunities and ensure compliance.

The city has been doing extremely well and it hasn't quite gone mainstream with most investors yet.Happy to share some resources and learnings on the market there if you'd like.

Sellers will lie to you and you have to "trust but verify"It's your problem.

If you're scaling your rental portfolio, you have to scale your operations as well.Having said that, I have friends who only have single family MTR homes and do extremely well at scale.

We respect and trust him, and that is priceless to us.

Funds can offer returns through cash flow and appreciation without tenant drama or maintenance calls.REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts): These are more like investing in the stock market but still tied to real estate.

I honestly wouldn't trust anyone else with my clients but him when it comes to that local market.

Plus they have to be trust-worthy and with trackable experience. 

The truly tragic natural disasters in California, North Carolina, Florida and others of the past six months are evidence that no location is truly 'climate safe,' however there are geographical areas that can expect less weather extremes and lower costs of living, developing, insuring and seemingly...surviving.