This is one of those situations where it is best to say, you would be foolish not to hire a CPA to give you correct advice with 100% view of your entire portfolio.  

Hello Cliff, as I went through this about five years ago before I started investing in properties, the advice that you’ve been given initially is right on point so from another perspective, but say that you hire yourself as a W-2 employee instead of an owner on your schedule C personal 1040.

We vet, hire, and monitor virtual assistants for other businesses. 

If you just hire the cheapest or first PMC you speak with and it turns into a bad experience, please don’t assume ALL PMC’s are bad and start trashing PMC’s in general.

With any rent-by-the-room asset, you need to hire resourceful management.

I believe you either do the simple 27.5 yrs depreciation yourself or hire a tax pro, but the latter option is not guaranteed to pay for itself. 

@Sam Kay, regarding the first floor leak, I would hire a plumber to pressure test the property.  

Before you worry about whether or not to hire a GC are all of the land entitlements completed and has your permit been issued? 

say for example you buy a solid property, hire a solid PM, and a solid-looking tenant passes screening and moves in. 

Recommend keeping your W2 job for as long as possible while building your PMC business.Typically, one needs 75-125 properties under management to actually make a living.This approach will also force you to automate your PMC business and maybe even hire a Remote Worker or two as you're able to afford.