Call a local commercial real estate broker and get a Broker's Opinion of Value, or ask for current cap rates based on the Class of property.

You basically need to assign a value to all of the personal property (furniture, appliances, TVs, kitchen supplies, etc) inside the STR and they'll send you a tax bill based on the total. 

I'm based in Riverside county, CA and am looking to invest out in Georgia.

Based on what I have heard there are two tests we have to pass in order to be qualified as a contractor.

So increase NOI, then you can back into a rough number on what your loan proceeds will be based on your forecast debt service upon refi.

I am based in Houston TX.  

These are generally 12-24 month interest only loans that borrowers will generally pay back by selling or flipping to long term financing like DSCR loans.More on DSCR loans:DSCR loans won't use your income to underwrite the loan.DSCR loans are based off of down payment, credit score and either actual or market rents so it helps to supercharge an investor's real estate goals and net worth.Here's a bit more in detail about how rates are calculated for DSCR loans:1.

Of course the proof is in the actual investments and numbers, but this assertion seems unlikely based on the value-add upside normal syndications can provide which DSTs can’t.

If you are looking for financing, I would make sure you can qualify based on long-term rent (one lease), and the property is not currently operated as a rent-by-the-room rental. 

Land lord tenant laws in most of California and Wa state are pretty similar to BC.If you plan on land lording on the west coast in Canada or the US you have to be prepared to travel if you want cash flow, as Theresa pointed out, and even then it will not be easy.