If they're amenable to paying rent, having the offer coming from a lawyer might seem more legitimate and set the right tone for the relationship.  

Hiring a maintenance company who doesn't have that relationship with the resident may or may not work.

If you use the rental space for personal use more than 14 days in a year (or 10% of the days if you didn’t own it for the whole year), then the deductibility of your rental expenses are limited to the amount of your rental income (so you can’t report a rental loss) ...This post does not create a CPA-client relationship.

Since you are looking at investing out of state- establish some relationships with realtors, investors, contractors,..... in the market you want to invest. 

When I find an off market deal I have along list of investors I will notify that that have used me in the past and value our relationship.

Finally, how to trust a JV and even a checklist of things to go through before entering a JV relationship.

*This post does not create a CPA-client relationship.

*This post does not create an attorney-client or CPA-client relationship. 

As a passive investor, you are really investing in the relationships you build with the people you are trusting with your investment properties. 

With the Raleigh area being such a hot market in recent years, I'm looking to find new or experienced investors or other agents to network with, discuss the latest news about the area, and establish some solid relationships with.