To make it worse, I have a 7 year old daughter that could have witnessed this.  

I’m at my wits end.

In the past 6 years I've witnessed the market from another investor (former at this point because he got out and sold his 16 duplexes 2.5 years ago) it had gotten increasingly expensive and difficult to operate the properties.  

Of course, no one want a to buy at the peak and get stuck there, which is a genuine concern with the craziness that we’ve witnessed in the past year or so.

If she won't sign the form, hand over the 30 days' notice and have a witness with you.  

It's a boom and bust economy and I witnessed the highs and lows because my worked at GM. 

Witness the growth of BP.

At least hire them for one year while you gather your wits, learn the law, figure out your processes, etc.You can't ask all the questions below, but you can get an idea of what a good property manager looks like and then screen until you find one.Remember: cheaper doesn't mean you'll make more money.Start by going to www.narpm.org to search their directory of managers.

I've witnessed situations where private family mortgages have caused a lot of tension with my clients, and therefore I strongly advise against it as a permanent solution. 

In my experience I have witnessed and experienced people hitting home runs in areas I would not dare to work in and I know of failures where failing is almost impossible.