I'm not very intimate with the markets to the north and south, but I would start looking at price to rent ratios and decide what type of rental type and terms you want to invest in.

There are a lot of options out there.Some of the most useful items BiggerPockets members have identified are features that save time so they can spend time working on their next property.

I started my real estate career in 2014 working in marketing at PPR Note Co. with Dave Van Horn.

Or what are other tips to start gaining traction from the beginning? 

I think your starting point is off - way off. 

You've signed up for one PIA if the owner is still in the house.One way to tippie toe into this is to hook up with short sale agents and start working with them offering to door knock the NOD folks. 

This would reduce my monthly expense to $3,568, saving $144/month.Questions for the Community:Which of these options do you think makes the most sense for a long-term rental in NYC?

Just start with taking the content in and then team up with someone actively doing these deals.

This is where I started as well, and then about 5 years later I was able to leave my W2.

Each room will have a separate lease on it with a separate deposit following normal property management practices, and like you said, the leases have different start dates.