Best practice is to operate as an MTR and backfill with STR guests because if you open up your calendar to STR guests without tight restrictions, you're an STR.  

I came across an online course professing that you don’t need to visit or live near the properties you manage.

Assuming tenants can place their maintanence request online, is that through your property management software (e.g.

I know in California it is legal and the state acknowledges it however it does restrict the finder to basically introducing the parties and they can not participate in negotiations, etc.

@Jacob NevarezGeneral red flags include many days on market (60 days+), few photos available online, under contract & reactivated multiple times, and no price drops if it has been on the market a while.

Also, consider connecting with local real estate meet-ups or online communities like this one!

We have a PM and communicate wiht them. when we did not have one long ago we did not have any app or anything. we had them pay online or mail a check and put $ in quickbooks and if there was an issue they would call or email us.

Real estate activities are typically considered passive activities, and the IRS restricts passive losses to offsetting only passive income.

@Nigel YarbroughTo find cash buyers and structure a lucrative deal, join local real estate investment groups, contact agents, search public records, attend property auctions, use online platforms, connect with wholesalers, and send direct mail campaigns.

Every system you try will have flaws, or you may salivate over a feature that appears in other software.Some familiar names are mentioned frequently: Stessa, Apartments.com, RentRedi, TenantCloud, Innago, RentManager, Avail, Rentec Direct, Doorloop, etc.I recommend conducting thorough research on each app online to understand their offerings, pricing, etc.