But even there, the county commissioners are hearing from first-responders that short-term rentals are responsible for a higher percentage of emergency calls -- out-of-staters struggling with altitude, dumb people popping too many edibles and freaking out, etc.

I have a specific dollar amount that I keep in there for ordinary repairs, emergencies, or capex.

This frees up your time, as the manager handles day-to-day operations, emergencies, conflict resolution, etc.

. - You can go it the more heavy handed way and you will likley be able to file for an emergency eviction becuase your property is being destroyed, to do this you should take photos of the damages during your walk-through. 

Do you have an emergency contact for them who you can call? 

Hi guys, I’ve bought my first STR home, and in 2 weeks got it furnished, met neighbors, found someone to “emergency manage’ and clean as I’ll be long distance, now all that’s left is my city- required safety inspection and a few more organizational things.

You should buy a fourplex in CA if you have the capital, otherwise purchase out of state in an emerging market and 1031 in a few years if a refi is not viable.  

Lawyer advised this could be considered an emergency situation so I "could" enter without notice. 

Keeping some type of emergency fund is important to have a buffer.

- What emerging areas of Denver do you think have the best rehab potential?