For STRs, those limits don’t apply.

When capital is limited, strategy becomes your leverage.A few approaches I’ve used with $10–15K:Partnerships with clear roles: One person brings the capital, the other brings the sweat equity or deal flow.

Your property policy "should" help you when this happens, but likely has certain monetary limits in place. 

When a PMc does NOT have there own website, does NOT have any online system for tenant's, no way for anyone to log into an account, make application etc etc..... 

If no, you may be limiting your market.

The main drawback is limited track record—the sponsors started in 2019 and have less than 10 years of direct real estate experience, with backgrounds in non-RE fields prior.Based on this, my current criteria for sponsors I’d consider investing with are:Focus on 1–2 regionsFocus on one asset classHave 10+ years of direct real estate investing experiencePrimarily dedicated to running investments (vs. running podcasts/courses/events)Appropriate amount of capital raised / projects going on in a given year.My question to the community:Are these the right criteria to evaluate sponsors, or am I missing key factors?

@Ian Gilligan  a utility cap is something you put on something like your electric to limit it so that if someone exceeds normal use by a lot you charge them.

Specifically, pulling a list of motivated sellers, and then reaching out to it via cold calling or text.There's a tendency to take a targeted and sniper approach when you first start and have limited time.

With active participation, you may be able to use up to 25,000 of losses, subject to income limits.

I get an email alert each time a deposit is made.I prefer not to use any third-party vendors (Zelle, etc.) because firstly, that creates another link in the chain that can break down between the tenant's deposit and my bank account (or, create capricious limitations and hurdles like the one you are experiencing).