Novice considering buying out-of-state rental prop

[Melissa Lieb]

Hello, I live in Los Angeles, CA and am strongly considering purchasing a rental property in Michigan, my home state, in a town ~3 hours away from my home town. A couple questions: 1) Does anyone own rental property in Grand Rapids Mi? 2) To anyone with an out of state rental income property, will you share your experience with property management companies? Any pointers - I have blind spots and likely do not even know all the questions to ask. Details: *Willing to spend ~$180k; Prepared to put 20% down on a Grand Rapids rental property *Not seeking a fixer *Will need to hire a property management company Goals: The obvious: passive income Duplex, triplex or single family w guest unit Purchase a home with tenants already occupying and generating rental income Top-of-mind concerns: *Winters in MI wear and tear on roof, pipes *Cost of property management, costs to heat Tenant selection, How-to from Los Angeles to MI *Offer / escrow process How-to from Los Angeles to MI