I have heard that onsite staff could also be the employee of the 3rd party property management company, but just wonder what is the normal practice?

I concede I'm a bit conservative but look in the mirror and tell yourself honestly that you have practically no real estate knowledge and no real estate experience and then ask yourself is that's the footing you want to be on as a basis for totally disrupting your life and risking $250k. 

Regarding flooring and shower pan options, a shower receptacle paired with subway tile and small 1/2 inch tiles for the floor could be a practical choice.

Here is the NAR (National Association Of Realtors) code of ethics standard of practice defining a client and a "CUSTOMER".

Practice your pitch!

@John Weiss This is standard practice for the property management industry.

It is extremely difficult -- bordering on practically impossible -- to use a 1031 exchange to move gains from the sale of one of your existing properties into a property that you already own. 

Pretty common practice here. 

Any form submitted after the closing date will be deemed by the IRS to be untimely and require that the mandatory withholding amount be sent to the IRS within 20 days of the closing date.As a practical matter, all of this has two key impacts:1031 exchange Buyer of a foreign person’s real estate – As the 1031 exchange Buyer of a foreign person’s real estate, you would be required to withhold 15% of the fair market value of the real estate, typically the purchase price, at the time of closing.

Always ask for references if you have doubts about their practices.