He may know of PM companies that assist with setup: https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/allenduan#0

Maybe you have Friends or family in other states that already have connections in the area you decide on. 

My friend recently told me of this scenario where the person I lease to would perhaps then double book individuals and keep deposits. 

Check out FilePlace, where user-created forms are available for free.

Like @Nicholas L. said, maybe look within a reasonable driving distance from where you live, is there any city or state where you have family or friends that live there where you could travel to frequently and they could keep on the property for you or somewhere you visit a lot.  

And a PM friend of mine pointed me towards NARPM.

Need to be able to view, edit, and save changes.Unit / Lease Abstract View: Customizable view that allows user to select a given property and provides a menu for that property of all tenants/units at that property.

Some areas/neighborhoods are more STR friendly than others. 

So lets say its a $1M loan accruing 12% and I pick it up for $800k (or 900k), time could be my friend or my enemy depending on the value of the home.

One of my friends uses comped quarterly cleaning as their inspection day and trains the cleaners to take photos and videos of everything.