Or do you want your REI to be your nest egg, paying $xxx/mo to retire on?

Invest in my nest deals in my fund that are proven & still accepting money.

It is intended to help you grow your retirement nest egg, not to provide you with the personal gains or benefits now. 

To build your nest egg you need to research exit strategies and comps to realize your gains.

Basically I'm asking if I can / should do this:- Create an IRA LLC structure with the LLC being in New Mexico / Arizona- Create nested LLCs for any real estate investments, ex. an Illinois LLC for an Illinois property

But with the VRBO renters, it doesn't appear that I have that sort of flexibility to write in the utility contingency.I'm considering putting in a NEST thermostat in the house and a remote pool pump monitor so I can keep an eye on where renters have set the temps?  

I would focus on building my skill sets, paying down debt , building a nest egg - savings, 401K, Roth IRA, etc - and continuing to educate yourself. 

That will put you in the best position to get your nest egg started.

Get out, house hack, or at least leave the nest and get a roommate.

If your goal/strategy is to build a nice nest egg for retirement and not replace your current income (not knowing where you are in life), then netting 5% while padding your future isn't that bad of a deal, especially since there are ways you might be able to increase that 5% through property and operational improvements.