I love Cross Country specifically because they can service their own loans meaning that they handle all the construction draws and payment processing.Plus, I like Homestyle over 203k because they don't have as strict of guidelines on what has to be renovated.

I invest out of state in Pittsburgh from DC and self-manage everything, but it's taken me years to establish the right contacts, develop seamless processes etc. that allow me to handle everything remotely with confidence.

There are property management companies that handle everything—from guest check-ins to maintenance—so you don’t have to worry about being hands-on.

A 1031 also adds complexity and timing pressure.Watch Out For:Opportunity Cost: Renovations tie up cash that could go toward other investments or reserves.MTR/STR Management: These models require more time and effort than LTR, even without a property manager.Market Risks: WA properties may appreciate slower than expected, and higher costs could reduce your margins.If cash flow is your priority, option 1 (renovate and STR/MTR) likely offers the highest upside.

This is a task to handle carefully and at arms length. 

I can’t make someone sell their property, some people will not be reduced to a dollar amount.

You will likely need to sit on the unit for a long time or reduce initial rent below the market for that unit to rent during the Winter. account for this by either offering a Winter special that will increase to market in the Spring or doing a short lease that ends in the Summer.

As someone who has read Harry Potter, it seems the best way to get the attention of the landlord is to send a scary looking giant to their home residence with a kindly worded letter.More seriously, I was on the other side of the coin previously where my wife put the ads up under her accounts instead of mine, so I couldn't check them without getting on her phone and I was inundated with people looking to see the property (probably 50 over a 5 day period) and was trying to send semi-personalized notes to each one--and it all ended up being too much to handle and I ended up ghosting or not replying to many people after I found an applicant. 

.: Thanks for the replies I totally understand you can not eliminate risk 100%I was just wondering if there was a safer way to handle this. 

Is there any creative way to avoid/reduce capital gains tax on the sale ?