It's hard to know which are legitimate questions to focus on answering.

.* Strategy 2: Rental properties for the tax benefits as well as extra income. 

Take the time to meticulously crunch the numbers, taking into account various expenses such as mortgage payments, property taxes, insurance, maintenance costs, and potential vacancies.

Whichever STR agency you are going to use study the laws and regulations, as well as taxes and fee's for AirBNB/VRBO or other.

. - Your cost basis for tax would be actual costs including purchase price and improvements.

I'll get some of the money back in tax write offs from the passive losses. 

I'm thinking the marketing might work the same way as properties with delinquent taxes. 

We have never hired CPA before (we always used Turb*Tax, but i think it's time), so bear with me for I have a very elementary question....Should I look for CPA in GA or the state we are residing? 

Small single family investor looking for tax assistance

Just be careful of those pitching costly entity formations and tax planning, you may not benefit from that quite yet.