After 6 months I have two properties and since day 1 they have been rented.However, making some numbers and organizing the 2025 budget I am not sure what to think about my first step on this journey.The rent covers the mortgages (10 year loan both) however I have to take out of my pocket some % to cover HOA and management fee.

For example it is my understanding that Big Bear allows it but whoever is managing the property has to live within 1 hour of the property. 

@Brice Alef-Torrisi putting each property in its own LLC is usually overkill.Getting a bank account for each LLC is typically something you need to do to avoid "piercing of the LLC corporate veil" (actually depends on tax selection you made for LLC), but is also overkill.You haven't indicated how you are holding the deed for the latest property.If in your name or same LLC, you don't need a separate bank account.If in separate LLC, you can create a Master LLC, have each property LLC hire the Master LLC to manage their affairs, and just get a bank account for Master LLC.This is an opinion, not advice, so lookup CPA Frank Alcini in Troy for expert advice.

My wife and I started managing more properties for others as word of mouth recommendations started and we started to use the management and arbitrage cash flow to acquire our own properties and fund the BRRRs we were working on.  

You know just as well as I do that the entry level SFH turn key model is nothing but a money grab for the turn key providers and PM's who ultimately manage the properties for them.

I'm now figuring out how to maximize the return on current properties and add value, efficient ways to self manage, etc.

Navigating these delays and organizational instability proved to be immensely challenging.In my own investigation, I discovered that Farraway SG emerged as the new entity managing the loans, with its LLC tracing back to Tel Aviv.

How would you suggest going about finding a deal and managing it out of state.

@David Kendall Jr, for deals that I am managing myself, I want a minimum $50k profit potential, and shoot for about a 15-20% profit margin, whichever is greater.At the end of the day, percentages alone don't work for me, because my time has a value to it. 

It is our job to manage the risk at the inception of the project.Thanks for the info and comments.Alan.Good info.I don't mean for you to talk out of class, but Pace Morby says in one of his recent videos that he is doing "table top" closings (closing outside of escrow)  "because he knows what he is doing".