Looking back I am still confident of the decision and have 1) outperformed the 401k, 2) have control over assets, and 3) am much more tax efficient.  

I think some people get their RE license as a way to understand the industry or as a confidence building badge of honor.  

Well, I am fairly confident that, if purchased at the right price, STRs will make money in this area. 

That said, if you are confident in your own strategy going forward and do the math with scenario planning it might be a good option.

We've been having tenants apply through our Cozy.co listing as well as purchasing the credit & background check ($40), which is sent directly to us - it's been very convenient so far and is how I retrieved the info based on this post.Thankfully we're in a very comfortable financial situation and able to float the mortgage indefinitely, which gives me the confidence in passing on less than ideal tenants and keep looking for a quality tenant.

As long as you are confident about your numbers (which ought to include reserves, management, debt service) this would be a solid deal.

If it's something you feel comfortable buying and you're confident about the market including the numbers, it's worth looking into.

Why not take the time to feel confident in that decision?

Sounds like you have the most important character trait when it comes to getting into real estate investing: CONFIDENCE.

I normally wouldnt even think about this, but given I do not want to touch my cash reserves and I am not confident in the markets returning 9% over the next year, when I can then turn and pay my loan back off.