I will reply towards the cheaper property management part.

Rates are much cheaper when purchasing as owner occupied. 

Then Househack in the midwest where you can get cheaper deals

It needs $20-30k to bring it to the top of the market, but we're going to do most of this ourselves so it will be much cheaper.

The advantage at least of this approach is that I could walk away, and although I'd lose my 5% deposit, that would likely be cheaper than being involved in a  long drawn out legal process as I continue to absorb holding costs (taxes/insurance/maintenance, etc.).

Then our older daughter goes to kindergarten (free) and our younger daughter switches to a cheaper daycare we have lined up @ $650/mo.

Easier, cleaner, cheaper to take the loss fast/write it down and move on than have employees continuously tracking the file.

It's so much cheaper to just hire a good GC.

You've got to find a cheaper platform though because $55 is fairly steep ours charges $35.3.

Ha, yeah that had always been my concern but some of the suggestions on here seem valid about strict rules and regulations on the leases, and I would be providing housing at 20% to 30% cheaper than anyone else could find of they wanted a studio to themselves.