@Choon Yee DeeRecommend exploring as many sources as possible to get referrals AND cross-reference them to get as much accurate information as possible.Check out NARPM.com, BP’s Property Manager Finder (BiggerPockets: The Real Estate Investing Social Network), etc.Also, encourage you to learn from the mistakes of others - by reading posts here on BiggerPockets about owners not having their expectations met by their current Property Management Company.

Even if the install was done incorrectly, they may still help you out with a customer service approach.

@Amanda Bahil our lease states that we are not responsible for payments lost in the mail or stolen - specifically to cover events like this.Because of events like this, we also charge tenants a $10 Processing Fee if they send us rent via mail - to encourage them to pay electronically or deposit directly in our business bank account.Unlike the comments of others, we see this as 100% the tenant's problem, though not their fault.How do you think a lender for a mortgage or car payment would treat this?

Maybe I'll start just cutting and pasting in a canned response but for now I'm still customizing for the OP

Most commercial yards put a time limit on your rental anyway in order to be able to serve other customers. 

Your advice about focusing on taking action rather than trying to time the market perfectly really resonated with me.Thank you again for the guidance and encouragement.

So, if you see posts like topics from this list do not judge too harshly, we want to encourage learning and growth, thats why we are on BiggerPockets.

I'm not sure where that broker may have been looking, but I'd encourage you to make sure they understand the dynamics of investment financing and some of those incentives. 

I really like the equation, though, because it does encourage/provide the idea that house hacking can truly increase your personal net worth and be a better option than for example  (having a relatively higher income in town A but you rent versus lower income in town B but you house hack -- the NWROI may tell you house hack in town B!

This way, we can customize it to our needs and preferences.Our goal is to live in one half and rent out the other for about 7-10 years, then move on to building our "dream home."