Personally, I like the short-term rental because of the flexibility it offers.To bring this out of the hypothetical and into the real world, when I deployed to Afghanistan this past winter, I was supposed to be gone for six months. 

We’re thinking $100 a spot a month especially since winter is approaching.

The man in charge is @Marc Winter.

The lower mainland is overinflated, and the rest of BC gets cold in the winter.

If you could please lend any advice/experiences/lessons learned about moving into a SFH fixer upper w/ conventional financing + renovation loan, add sweat equity, refinance in a few years and convert to full rental, I'd truly appreciate it.This is my strategy to begin my REI career here in Houston and considering Oak Forest area, so any locals with advice on that would be sincerely appreciated as well.Thank you so much for your time!

Not knowing how to do the paperwork can cost more than the commission your trying to save, winter is coming and you don't want to become some frustrated summer buyers deal. 

Is there a cycle where people toss homes in the winter?

I don't want to have them empty and pay heating bills all winter. 

The yard still needs a lot of work and the porch needs to be painted but we now have to wait for winter to pass.

;) Perhaps it is vacant, so it is not the end of the world, but typically in the winter especially around the holidays properties become tougher to rent.