Btw, right now I'm still using a self-built Excel spreadsheet that works just fine for me.

What if I use self-direct traditional IRA, instead? 

I'm not against suggesting that you pay a PM a little extra for an hour of their time to tell you about the local housing authority, even if you don't plan to self manage or don't plan to use them. 

As a technician I am familiar with the "feast or famine" mindset, self managing & organization, and how my personal effort impacts my income.

I recommend going with a boutique local manager or even self-manage (it's not as intimidating as it may seem, and profit levels skyrocket).

Most family trusts, especially in CA, provide little or no liability protection (see self-settled trust rules). 

My onlyl tip is check out self directed IRA discusions here.

It’s been an incredible journey of self-managing the property—living in one of the units for three years and gradually renovating three out of four as tenants turned over.

My wife and I have been investing here since 2015- we do several flips a year and have 20 rental units we self-manage.I'm a licensed Home Inspector and licensed General Contractor. 20 years in the trades.

Before the crash, it seemed like you couldn't get the numbers to work that well in terms of cash flow but you could find deals here and there and the financing and appreciation was definitely there.During the bust you could easily find discounts but the financing was impossible to get and the rental profits were extremely tough and thats even if you self managed.