If the answer is performance-related, or due to the agent simply not being a good fit, then that is understandable and they might let you go if you explain your legitimate reason honestly and ask to be released from the contract nicely.

If your goal is to get into short term rentals - analyze the deal to a point where it can still work as a longterm or midterm rental if short term doesn't perform as expected. 

With a 4-plex, losing one tenant is only a 25% loss of income versus a 50% loss in a duplex.That said, a duplex might be easier to manage, especially if you're new to investing or will be away for long stretches of time.

We perform several flips a year when we find them from wholesalers.

Sometimes these insurance contracts come in legal sized paper- possibly a harbinger of what you'll need to do to collect fairly from them, But always expect them to perform completely on the things which are in their financial favor.

Extensions on downspouts 10 ft away from the building, grade the surface to slope away from the foundation at least 6 inches in 4 feet, provide positive surface drainage around the structure, and finally stop irrigating landscaping within 10 ft of the structure.

The manager by action or inaction could be sued directly or in addition to the property owner for a tenant or guest being injured.There is an additional liability extension called personal injury or landlord personal injury that picks up the liability for a situation such as being sued for wrongful eviction or violating fair housing in some way.

Usually partners, capital partners want to see prior performance before being a debt or equity partner. 

Mostly I'm just trying to keep track of things for my own purposes to make sure I'm getting what I expect and the properties are performing the way I expect. 

You need to know the market well, have enough reserves for inevitable expenses, and closely monitor the asset’s performance.