It's all about boots on the ground. I have self managed for years. These are SFRs so easier to rent and much more stable than apartments. I would not try to do this with apartments.
I have a realtor who does nothing but fill vacancies. She markets the property, screens the tenants and submits the application and lease and other paperwork for my approval. Then she is out of the picture. Her track record is flawless. At this point, all of my tenants are hers except one. All have are now multi-year, no problem tenants.
I have excellent trades people who I KNOW will show up on time the 1st time called and fix the problem. A plumber (who is also a handyman who does light roofing, light electrical, paint and flooring). He does most of the work for my make readies. Most of the time I just tell the tenants to call Jon. He is VERY familiar with all the properties. I have been using him for more than a decade. It's a VERY good relationship.
An HVAC person and an appliance re-seller. An attorney who does nothing but tenant-landlord law (eg evictions).
They don't come up often but when they do I dig around to find a licensed roofing contractor, licensed electrician and a landscaper, termite company.
In the past year, everything went automated. My tenants transfer the rent into the business checking. The mortgages are auto-debited on the 16th. Most of the tradespeople will take a credit card for repairs. Occasionally, I still have to mail out a check.
