But you would be wise to heed the warnings you've received from several investors with decades of real world investing experience.

.- Provide a guidebook with your favorite local spots, especially food and coffee near hospitals or downtown (my favorite when I travel and stay at STRs)- Don’t skimp on great lighting and high-quality bedding.

., carpeting, appliances, HVAC, fencing, landscape lighting).

Overall they do a good job, but I do pay for it. not only their fee (which they are doing a job and need to be paid), but sometimes their inability to do simple troubleshooting (eg cost me $100 because the tenant called and said the lights were flickering on the new fridge...first thing is check the plug in is secure which it was not for some reason). 

Hoping to hear from others experienced in this kind of rental to shed some light on what I should prepare for and strategies to keep it rented.

I did not invest in Ignite, so consider this an opinion on the category of investment.My results were some paid off as expected, some dragged out but eventually paid off, some failed and were foreclosures in which I received partial payoff and I still have some from 2016 in which the platform just can't seem to bring themselves to foreclose on their biggest borrower, so they keep pushing it out at investors' expense.Someone once warned me that I would end up with a basket of losers since those are the ones that don't payoff as expected and I rolled my payoffs into new notes, eventually adding onto my loser pile.I found the platforms' statements that they super-vet the borrowers to be worthless and they basically disclaim as much by saying I shouldn't rely on any info they share.

This three points definitely put some more light into what I want to do and my end goal as well.  

Also if you can go hands on and learn management and repairs you will be light years ahead of other investors in 5 to 10 years paying for management fees and contractor costs.   

And you're right that since the property wasn’t placed in service until August 1, most of those pre-rental expenses (like renovations and improvements) are considered capital improvements and get added to your basis.But under Trump's new tax bill, certain components of your renovation (like appliances, light fixtures, and even some flooring or cabinetry) may qualify for bonus depreciation if they fall into a 5-, 7-, or 15-year property category under IRS rules. 

How aboutEarly Emily who asks about early-check in, is told we have a same-day turnover and need the full time between guests to get everything ready for her, and shows up early anyway.Trash Can Travis who cannot find the trash cans for the life of him, despite the printed instructions and information in the interactive guidebook that he's received twice before, and decided to leave trash bags in [the garage, the shed, on the porch, in the driveway]"Where's the Beach" Wendy who still decides that the neighbor's obviously private lakefront beach across the street from where she's staying must be the public community lakefront beach because it's the first one that she sees, despite instructions directing her to the short 4-minute walk down the street to the community beachfront, and the multiple signs, messages, and warnings about not trespassing on neighbors' yards