Again I cannot collect rent to justify this cost/effort.  

What rent collection software do you recommend and why?

You will be paying 6-10% for just having them collect rent. 

If the prospects look financially shaky or sketchy, I ask for the name of a co-signer - and collect payment for a background check on them.Verbally, I also ask when they are interested in taking occupancy, and I tell them the application will be made part of the lease agreement - that I can evict them if they've lied in their application.

I believe in putting in the work—1,000 hours of research, testing, and learning—before offering advice, and I’m excited to tap into the collective wisdom of this community to refine my approach.Here’s where my head is at: I’m considering strategies like short-term rentals (Airbnb) for higher cash flow, long-term rentals for steady income, or even creative options like house hacking or partnerships to stretch the funds further.

If the properties are split into more than one LLC, then each LLC will need its own accounts.Checking: collect all income here, then use it to pay bills.

The only purpose of the account would be to collect payments and pay bills like taxes and insurance on assets held by the LLC.

This is their full time job and they collect a fee but are still able to pass along strong deals to end buyers.

@Tamika Davis One of the biggest advantages of most software on the market is to complete these tasks you mention (maintenance, leases, rent collection, etc). 

What if they have collections or judgments?