@Steven Gilbert Credibility and experience are the name of the game.

What changed the game?

I'm not trying to get bogged down on every detail, but perhaps someone with some experience can help clarify the following requirement for the Principal Loan Originator:https://mortgage.nationwidelicensingsystem.org/slr/PublishedStateDocuments/FL-Mtg-Broker-New-App-Checklist.pdf"The Principal LoanOriginator must also demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Office of Financial Regulation that he or she has been actively engaged in a mortgage broker related business for at least one year before being designated as a Principal Loan Originator.

Once someone tries to break in, and there are signs of forced entry the game changes and you have to protect the property in a legal/criminal context. 

Second, the best advice I can give you (as I did it) is to stay active, engage the community, read forum posts, listen to podcasts and stay motivated.

If you are gonna go out of state, do yourself a favor: either purchase at least class B properties that are above the median house price (not sub $100k properties) or find a boots on the ground partner (who ideally runs a property management company) and give them part ownership in exchange for managing your properties so they have skin in the game.

Agreed I dont want to play mediator but since I engaged once,  I dont want to ignore texts.

The point you raise does raise question why they got out of the game?

That being said, STR is a whole different game than LTR, and usually involve a lot more work or a larger expense to pay people to do the work.

Its very common for me to get hired for something early in the game and then I end up finishing the rest of the house.