Unlike our real estate investment, there weren’t hefty transfer fees involved in either the purchase or sale.

Quote from @Bruce Woodruff: I don't really even notice them, and I certainly don't click on them to actually read and get involved.....Just another way of getting business and not a great one IMO..By the way, does anyone know anything about framing a staircase?

If the property is in your personal name you might consider filing the income and expenses from the rental on your personal tax return on IRS Schedule E, not through the LLC. 

Of course, you would need to do your own research and due diligence when purchasing a company but perhaps that's a way to get involved in the trades in the owners seat.

- Get involved in local meetups2.

However, even issuing a five-day notice can be an important step before filing.

Most people cant afford that alone which means a syndicate or getting PMLs involved and doing the synd yourself. there's nothing wrong with starting with some smaller properties.

As far as the sale of a property with a mortgage on it, that all gets sorted out at close. ie, you bring your money, the bank gets what they have coming, the realtor gets what they have coming (if there's one involved) and the seller gets the rest.

Sometimes getting involved for a few years makes you realize you don't like it.

You mention not a fan of landlording, great, the bank never get's involved in that stuff right.