Self-managing a property long-distance - any suggestions?

[Vonetta Booker]

I didn't want to, but I am considering self-managing my newly-purchased SFR in Cleveland (I'm located in CT). Don't get me wrong, I feel like a good PM is invaluable and have no issues paying one their 10% to properly manage my property and take away my headaches. However, I have reached out to and interviewed several PMs, and there seems to be a big communication issue - a large number of them are unresponsive, replying w/ pertinent info days after they said they would - if at all. I figure if these issues happen in the mere beginning/inquiry stages, how are they going to effectively screen/place tenants & manage my properties?

Do any of you have long-distance properties that you manage yourself? If so, what resources & tools do you use?  I really wanted to use a PM, but at this point I'm seriously contemplating just letting my RE agent list it, screen the tenants & get a good handyman, plumber, electrician etc. to handle whatever issues come up.