I gave an applicant who was closest to but didn't qualify the option of bringing me a qualified co-signer and higher deposit or I'd need to reject.

Email is the easiest way to do it and it is overwhelming sometimes but it is the best option, no other alternatives.

If I had been more aware of/presented as an option a furnished rental when I was 20-30 years old, I definitely would have taken it. 

The bottom line is there is a lot of options here in our state.

Hey Mike, There are plenty of options for house hacking in the Phoenix area, from small multi-family, to homes with ADUs, to rent by the room setups.

Just a thought, is an equity loan or equity line of credit an option on either of these?

For example, I think it would be nice to have a 20 year spreadsheet for LTR showing 2 roof purchases at the 10 and 20 year mark (assuming 10 year roof) and then each system listed with its expected respective replacement year to get a picture of potential capex spikes,This may lend to moving replacements expeditures around to balance the outlay of capex dollars over the life of the property.Thoughts?

What options do I have?

I'm researching STR options for my first investment, and I'm wondering what areas of California are prosperous for Airbnbs.

While there's no shortage of options out there,as you mentioned, such as PropStream, DealCheck, REI Simpli, and Podio, the aim is to stand out by honing in on what really matters to investors: ROI, value, performance, efficiency, and possibly price.Expanding on what matters as outlined earlier, here are my assumptions regarding what investors might require if I were to launch a product today:User-Friendly Experience: A platform that feels like second nature to real estate investors, with intuitive design and features that make life easier.All-in-One Solutions: A toolbox stacked with everything necessary for successful investing—from finding leads to analyzing deals and managing properties.Seamless Integration: Make workflow smoother by seamlessly connecting with other essential tools and platforms you rely on.Insightful Analytics: Next-level decision-making with advanced analytics and data visualization that help you optimize investment strategies.Now, the challenge lies in the fact that every investor is unique, and the features might be excessive if they don't offer genuine value.