If you don't get answers or get the wrong ones, walk away . . . you will always loose unless the price reflects room to build in a large "what if" buffer. 

Keep 6–12 months of reserves and underwrite with conservative rents and a vacancy buffer so the property carries itself when you PCS.

This means pulling rental data, city policy info, affordability, employment rates for the city, what are the businesses in that area employing the people, and more.

That realtor will never know the data at the level that STR Search does, but they are part of the process.

Jeanetta, smart move getting clear before a big buy: yes, plenty of investors tap home equity via a HELOC, but only if you keep a cash buffer and use it for assets that can repay it; for off‑market in a seller’s market, work one or two investor‑savvy agents for pocket listings, tell every lender/PM/contractor you’re buying, and target owners of tired but livable homes where you can negotiate on condition, never make EMD nonrefundable without inspections; live‑in flips can work, but factor holding costs, permit timelines, and comps by finish level, and remember your primary goal is livability and resale, not perfection.

IMHO $15 for a book is a steal and I happily pay it, but I will never sign up for their $1,000 course...Highly recommended books, in order of importance:Real Estate Investing For DummiesProperty Management For DummiesABCs of Real Estate InvestmentBuilding Wealth One House At A TimeThe Small and Mighty Real Estate InvestorAs far as real estate data, look at population trends and free real estate reports. 

Why isn’t your question “Who is sharing false data with the city?”

I'm finishing up an MBA in Data Analytics at Clemson and hold a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering.I'm preparing to co-found an LLC with a fellow Army Captain as a 50/50 partnership focused on long-term rentals and BRRRR projects, or potential flips depending on cash flow.

It also puts you in a liability situation if they dont finish and close on time...give yourself some buffer on timing.Vacancy and demand - the winter isn't necessarily a bad time anymore; demand for high quality products is a year-round endeavor in Raleigh these days.

To me, it seems that you won't make more on your savings than what you will lose on loan interest, so it seems kind of mathematically silly not to just get it paid off, unless you end up with zero emergency buffer...Anyway...