I’ve been refining my setup, cleaning team, and pricing using Lodgify and PriceLabs.Curious what others think about my numbers and setup — cash flow is around $1,500/month with consistent bookings.

I found this deal that is a 4 bed 3 bath for $260k that I plan to clean and to rent out the other three rooms.

For a typical 1-bedroom, 1-bath STR, I usually budget around $6K base for the essentials, then add about $1.5K per bedroom to cover extra furniture, decor, and bedding.To keep costs down, I focus on:Prioritizing durable, easy-to-clean pieces over “fancy” stuffMixing in budget-friendly retailers with a few higher-quality anchor itemsSourcing rugs, lamps, and decor from clearance sales or secondhand storesIt keeps the place functional, attractive to guests, and way under the cost of going all high-end.

The BAM family is very well rounded with a clean track record. 

They can’t review the “hot” deal their broker just sent them because they’re too busy categorizing emails in color coded category’; they can’t attend the on line networking session because they need to switch over to a more detailed CRM system; they can’t visit the property going up for auction because their scheduled weekly garage cleaning is running overtime…..The Student – This person never feels they have enough knowledge, experience or education to properly evaluate an investment.

You have to be realistic about the current market rents in the area and the condition of these units.For screening, income 3x rent, clean rental history, no recent evictions, and verify employment/landlord references. 

Focus less on the credit score and more on whether they’ve been a stable, clean, and respectful tenant.

Shortlist three agents/PMs, have each walk one live listing to earn the spot, analyze five deals a week, and aim to close one clean, repeatable win before you scale.

If your goal is to scale into a fourplex or small commercial, focus on positioning yourself for the next loan: stable income, strong reserves, and clean property performance.

One, see if a local bank or credit union will do a first‑position HELOC on the STR based on its appraised value; some will even with short income history if credit is clean and LTV is conservative.