I see a lot of amenities you recommended as amenities that increase the quality of stay which leads to a higher guest satisfaction but doesn't really affect my return.

I would highly recommend talking to Jeff Weller at Coast 2 Coast and Fernando Corona both are also PadSplit hosts but we're some of the first expert lenders .

Any particular companies you’d recommend? 

If you are looking to house hack in our local neck of the woods, I recommend reaching out to @Josh Green.

If you can come in and operate effectively I think you'll find success rather quickly due to that.BTW - for a property management platform I would highly recommend Buildium.

I wouldn't recommend this for research purposes. 

Any recommendations for property managers in the Sacramento area? 

From experience, I’d recommend getting pre-approved, improving your debt-to-income ratio if needed, and researching local assistance programs.

For example, a property in San Diego may lose $500 per month ($6,000 per year) but gain $60,000 per year in value, making it worthwhile to "lose" money each month in exchange for long-term gains.I recommend you start with BiggerPockets Ultimate Beginners Guide (free).

I'd highly recommend house hacking in your local market since you're in one of the highest cost of living areas in the US, especially if you're renting currently and planning on staying in the area for 5-10 years.It sounds sexy to go out and invest out of state for your first property.