Too many people involved to do a relatively simple transaction.

Consistent with the advice of @Jo Bradley , if I could get through the first couple years financially, keeping current home seems a lot easier than long distance investing...and at least I know what is wrong with my current home (I.e it will eventually need new roof etc). 

This is only one area of real estate that should be addressed, and it typically involves premises liability/property management type claims.

Understand the fees involved and calculate the total cost for an entire year of management so you can compare the different managers.

Self-managing can be a great way to stay directly involved, but it’s also important to consider the demands it can place on your time, resources, and expertise.I'm certain, you have experienced some real frustrations with that PM company, but a strong property management company that can align with your overall needs, can sometimes be a priceless investment when it comes to staying compliant. 

The Triad area in NC is an exciting market, and it’s fantastic that you’re embracing long-distance investing—especially after listening to the BP podcasts for inspiration.

Seems like a great way for rehaber to make the financials look any way they want.I can think of a few technologies that might help track income and expenses across projects that don't involve saving pieces of paper / invoices / pdfs :)  

If looking to scale flips and create systems around it to minimize your time and involvement, I'd highly recommend putting a team in place that can handle the day to day operations. 

Then when things go to hell they walk away and pretend they had no involvement with the Property Manager even though they facilitated countless transactions positioning themselves as the owner. 

When we purchase, If there are agents involved we might not even meet the seller.