On paper, it makes sense to use such a service to have a predictable cost allocation towards maintenance.

If you are buying the cheapest home in a not so great area, the returns on paper look great, but you will have a lot more costs than you expect due to a lower quality tenant.

The returns are a lot lower than what you see on paper. 

- The current reality is that investing in RE may require a couple years of negative cash flow before things start to make sense on paper.

They look good on paper, but the realities of low-quality renters, high crime, unscrupulous vendors, and other problems can destroy the investment value.Some landlord insurance policies have burglary as an additional rider you must add on specifically.

That's easy - give him his walking papers.

The three I'm acquiring were all booked over the phone and written on a paper calendar! 

Quote from @Joe Villeneuve: Run the payments through any automatic money handling source.Escrow account, checking account, auto deposits work great.What about the actual paper work we both sign….who writes that up?

The same goes with paper assets, like stocks. 

I also own a rental property in cash under an LLC that profits very little on paper.