I like trusts better, much easier to "hide" behind, however, insurance is your first line of defense.Also, doing simple, smaller deals where less can go wrong is not a bad idea.

Tenants typically stay that long because (a) the rents are way below market and they can't give up a good deal, or (b) they are bad tenants who enjoy the freedom of living under a weak landlord.

It just so happens, I use both of these services for the properties I manage, so I'm happy with the selection.The bad news is that evictions can become contagious in a house. 

You will likely make bad decisions because of that.

Evolve is nationwide and offers limited service engagements, but has a real bad reputation. 

Sorry to be bearer of bad news but your best bet is to just get it resolved and take it as a lesson learned

Fast-forward to the divorce (messy, bad, abuse, etc.)

Our developers have all noted that HUD has gotten much better with this program in the last decade and it more depends on the local housing authority being good or bad.

Do your research on the forums for general tips on hiring a PM, what to look for, what to look out for, good stories, bad stories, learn from others about their experiences with all kinds of PMs all over the place and take what you learn when you're speaking to PMs in your area so you can more easily see red flags, or green flags!

it's still a bad investment, but not aweful