For markets, secondary cities can offer strong opportunities if you can identify areas with population growth, solid rent demand, and limited new supply sometimes these outperform the bigger Sun Belt metros in ROI.  

The term spec home usually refers to new builds that are built on speculation (i.e. built with the hope/plan of selling it to a buyer than has not been identified yet, after construction is finished) [Though maybe there are regional variations?

You’ll want someone with the skill to consistently identify and select reliable tenants—a talent that’s rare among property managers.I will add another requirement for successful investing.

That’s why a lot of investors are leaning into one of two routes:Out-of-state investing in high-cash-flow or appreciation marketsTurnkey rentals—which let you deploy capital quickly into stable, rehabbed, and tenanted assetsWhy Turnkey Might Make Sense for You -Given your new career transition and interest in scaling without getting bogged down in renovations or property headaches, turnkey properties offer a few key advantages:You buy back your time while building cash flow and equityYou can invest in stronger rental markets, even if they’re out of stateIt helps you stay passive, but still profitable—a smart move as you juggle tech work and RE growthWith your background in problem-solving and systems from the automotive and tech industries, you’ll likely thrive in identifying scalable solutions—and turnkey could be one of them.If you're open to exploring markets or want to know what kind of returns to expect from a well-vetted turnkey deal, happy to share some examples or walk through the numbers.Either way, congrats again on your first win—and excited to see where you take it next!

Identify a great economy proof Airbnb market.  

Once you identify what triggered the decline, you can restructure and present it differently, maybe reduce leverage, add a partner, or split the collateral.

That way, they can give you soft quotes and help identify which programs, rates, and lenders fit best for your scenario.

After which you can use the inspection report to identify any red flags

Ideally someone who understands the local STR market, zoning nuances, and can help identify high-performing properties.If you’ve worked with (or are) an agent who specializes in STR investment properties in the area, I’d really appreciate your recommendations or introductions.

You’ll have to do what investors did before the Great Real Estate Crash:Evaluating 100 properties, to identify 10 to make offers on, in the hopes one seller accepts.- Yes, this takes a lot of work!