When people mean by bringing cash to the closing is that you must have funds to close -- whether they be from your own pocket or someone else's pocket.

Would love to hear people's experiences in these markets or recommendations of other markets that are more on the "untapped" side.

We have dedicated people on the ground cleaning, maintaining, as well as office staff handling the administrative and marketing tasks. 

Attend meetups and meet as many people in RE as you can.

It’s often sold as an alternative to larger security deposits or co-signers for people with bad credit bad rental history.

Tax optimization is a powerful aspect of investing and most people don’t take advantage of all the options.

Most people in the forums are recommending Proper Insurance for STR insurance, and I was able to get a quote from them quickly.

I think some people sell their judgements to collection companies for a very small amount but I have never done that. 

People have mixed opinions on this, but in one market I invest in, I researched and interviewed dozens of companies and went through 3 before ultimately confirming that there really was nothing which would suit my needs. 

Attend meetups and meet as many people in RE as you can.