My partner and I are looking to get our next rental (currently have one in a more local market that has a property manager).  

Who will manage it for you? 

@Tammy Elias The lease is tied to the property, not the management company.

I'm meeting with a couple agents i was referred to through my network and am wondering what critical questions I should be asking them to understand if they are the right partners for me in this market, especially considering I will be managing this investment from the other side of the country, and what info I should be prepared to provide to them.

Do you use a property management company? 

This involves creating a Wyoming (WY) blocker LLC, which will act as the member-manager of the Michigan LLC.

I have seen a lot of discussions on other PM software (Buildium, Propertyware, Property Manager, Appfolio, Yardi). 

Our firm focuses on property management and helping owners maximize the return on investment after the purchase which is crucial for the long-term performance of the deal.

I would suggest look for a property management company to manage the property for you and slowly increase the rent yearly before selling.

@Tony SchmuckerFrom my experience of working with over 400 investors, your strategy to relocate, house hack, and transition properties to management is a strong, methodical approach.