It seems like people are having good luck in terms of catching maintenance issues before they get huge if they take the time to do the regular inspections.  

If I were to use Postcards on a regular basis, I think cheap2mail / yellowletters.com wins hands down in price, ease of use and quality.

I use Hocker Title -- they do off-market through the regular title process, but if something comes up that requires an attorney, there are attorneys on staff who can work through the issues. 

Material participation tests are the rules the IRS uses to determine if you worked on your short term rental business on a regular basis during the year. 

Also look behind the kitchen sink, Dishwasher, and Fridge, from that then get a mold assessor ( expensive ) or a regular home inspector that can do air samples. 

Consequently, I see my tenant quite regularly.

After years of regular real estate development where I needed to travel by plane.

And regular cleaners coming through on a monthly basis. 

Real estate agent math is like toilet paper math. 27 mega rolls equals 732 regular rolls. 

In fact, I regularly rent properties furnished, with utilities included.