Typically, the request is at least for the organizational documents, operating agreement and the IRS EIN number. 

Travel expenses to look at potential investment properties are generally not tax-deductible unless you operate a real estate portfolio like a business. 2.

After operating the STR for the first year can we turn the STR into our primary residence for 2 years then sell and avoid capital gains tax and depreciation recapture instead of doing a 1031 exchange?

.- trusts - deeding each property to a separate land trust each and then the land trusts in turn grant beneficiary to an operating LLC.

The core market (hole of the donut) is booming and lots of young people moving to the city center and new apartments, condos, restaurants, amenities etc.Alot of the sun-belt is experiencing alot of net-migration...versus at least some cities in the Northeast not so much. 

For the better part of two decades I've been involved in real estate in some capacity including but not limited to: mortgage & real estate broker, developer, project manager, STR owner/operator/manager, international investor and beyond. 

It really depends on you and how involved you're willing to be, especially if any of your current at-large operators don't work out.

That's why you are seeing Turbo tax is also not allowing to claim depreciation unit its put in service.But you can claim start-up expenses for your rental property upto $5K on your operating expenses.

Then I would say that the main challenge for you will be finding trustworthy, experienced operators who are going to give you repeat business and who have a track record of successful project executions. 

I own, operate, and live in the state of my LLC but I have clients all over the country/world.