The returns in real estate are not what they once were, but my conviction around the ability of RE to help protect wealth and my trust in RE above traditional financial markets remains unchanged. 

I actually had to get enough units where I could offer tenants multiple housing options when I purchased properties rented at way under market rates and then (an embarassing number of times) personally watch tenants that would "suffer" from a rent increase turn down smaller (but nicer places) or  nicer places in a less prestigious zip code (sometimes only minutes away) before I realized that I was hampering my ability to earn a living in order to subsidize the lifestyle choices made by a some random stranger that happened to live in a property I bought.

You might be thinking the LLC would offer you more liability protection when set up that way, but whether you own the property and rent to the LLC or the LLC owns it and you are the sole-proprietor of the LLC in its operating agreement will probably be the same in terms of ability for claimants to find you.

As a REALTOR® myself, it is to my benefit to find other investors that are capable of purchasing properties that I do not have the ability to / interest in adding to my investment portfolio.

They can provide insights into whether locking in a new rate now could be advantageous or if other financial strategies could make holding the property more viable.Additionally, consider the overall financial picture, including your ability to cover the mortgage without the rental income covering all expenses.

It can provide a centralized entity for ownership, making it easier to add new properties to the LLC's portfolio.Credit and Financing: Having properties owned by an LLC may impact your ability to obtain financing or refinance existing mortgages.

I am quite good at SEO, so the leads come and find me.

However, given the mortgage and the rent levels, you have the ability to let time dig you out of your hole.

I would much rather have the benefit of cash flow, forced equity through improvements, appreciation, and depreciation working for me. also have the ability to sell or cash out refi if I needed a large sum of money in the future.

And yet I don't have the time or the ability to manage STRs since I'm always gone.