That is pretty much the point of my post; since I only have experience with full-service PM, data from other investors’ experiences with other alternatives would be extremely helpful in doing such an analysis.  

Just a human moment.I didn’t fix her situation, and I didn’t try to.

I'm a Delaware agent that recently retired from full time employment with the state.  

.• Use a full background screening, not a single data sourceAt a minimum, look for credit, nationwide criminal history, eviction records, and judgments or liens.

I recently reviewed a panel discussion from Phocuswright featuring senior leaders from Airbnb, Marriott, and Casago, and it offered a clear look into where short-term rentals are heading.A few themes stood out:• Airbnb is building a broader hospitality ecosystem through services, experiences, and hotels• Marriott is expanding deeper into professionally managed homes with strict operating and brand standards• Arbitrage-heavy models like Sonder were called out as fragile in changing market conditions• The industry is moving away from “any door will rent” toward fewer, higher-quality, better-operated propertiesMy takeaway from this conversation:Short-term rentals are moving away from being just alternative lodging and toward full-scale hospitality.Operators who focus on quality, systems, local expertise, and guest experience will win.Those relying on thin margins, arbitrage, or volume without standards will struggle.How we’re implementing this in our property management businessInstead of chasing door count or volume, we’re doubling down on:• Property selection over scale, only onboarding homes that can meet hospitality-level standards• Operational systems, including standardized inspections, preventive maintenance, and guest communication workflows• Local expertise, with boots-on-the-ground teams who can make real-time decisions and recommendations• Experience-driven stays, layering in services, amenities, and curated local recommendations beyond just the stay• Owner alignment, working only with owners who understand that quality and consistency drive long-term performanceThe goal isn’t to manage more properties.It’s to operate better properties.Curious how others here are approaching this shift:• Are you adjusting your model in response to where the industry is heading?

So I took a step back and got to grinding at my full time job (HVAC construction/install) trying to stack cash the best that I could.

That said, based on my experience working with real estate bookkeeping clients and using AI tools internally, AI still has meaningful limitations.AI is good at recognizing patterns, but bookkeeping—especially for real estate—is full of nuance: distinguishing repairs vs. improvements, properly handling owner contributions and distributions, allocating expenses across properties, class tracking, loan activity, depreciation-related items, and state-specific considerations.

They are asking, “Who has actually lived through a full cycle?”

The next step is removing humans from the first layer of interruption entirely.The leverage isn’t just separating intake paths — it’s automating intake, triage, and routing so leasing never becomes the default switchboard.Here’s how this moves from “better ops” to real ROI:1.

pid=2212Houston Real Estate Highlights for Full Year 2025:-In 2025, sales of single-family homes increased 3.8% with 88,634 units sold compared to 85,373 in 2024.