Just personally, I would never do an absentee landlord kinda thing....Too many moving parts, too much to go wrong and cuts into your profit big-time....Sentimental value is one thing, but not if you end up hating the house down the road.....Stay local, plenty of opportunities in good ole AZ.....

Can you DIY projects and cost cuts? 

It may be out of state, so you will have to determine if that is something you are willing to explore.It isn't always cut and dry as some suggest. 

There are regulationsI could go on, but if you learn this much, and apply it appropriately, you will cut down your sorrows and risk, considerably.And yes, there is much more.

Electric: is the easiest to split, but may require holes cut in walls to separate the units.Gas: gas lines aren't as flexible as wires, but it can usually be done affordably.Water: most cities will NOT install additional water meters on a property.

I tried to work with my tenant but they cut off all communication with me and wont respond to anyone.

I think the folks that pay for these programs have the wherewithal to simply cut a check and its no big expense to them compared to what they stand to get out of it. 

I don’t want to just cut cost though I want to understand what I’m doing and be super hands on.

I think you can go as high as 15% but it's cutting into your margins and depends if you are a GC yourself or not. 150k is close to a million or more.

I don’t understand how this isn’t a clear-cut case.