Nice try, but this time does not count.In order to meet 750 hours, your wife will need one of the below:- do something else real estate related, like wholesaling or realtor- actively work on expanding your rental portfolio - have an extensive DIY rehab, like a month-long full-time rehab (and then she might need another kind of rehab)- a calamity such as multiple properties damaged in a storm where she will have to deal with insurers and contractors- something else out of the ordinaryAgain - if all you have is 9 single-family properties with stable tenants and typical occasional maintenance - you don't have enough work to collect 750 hours.

These properties typically do not have rent growth that keeps up with inflation.  

Also, explore creative financing options that might balance your partner’s limited credit/cash flow without putting all the risk on you.If you're attorney can't clearly articulate this, maybe it's time to find a new one.

I have a STR in the Sullivan County and have been looking for a cleaner but the options seems to be limited in this area. 

Unless you have heavy overhead and 1000+ LOs this is the most cost effective option 5.

I’ve had more success filling vacant units by word of mouth/ networking with other agents in my market recently than I have through the typical advertising methods.

And countless other options.

We typically alter our strategy seasonally, as demand shifts with the seasons.

Without being able to make money as an agent remotely, the only other viable option I see is just go back into cybersecurity with a W2, and invest on the side.

Typically the first set of tenants I screen are the ones who end up in the unit due to prescreening activities like my application and making sure I meet them.