A car forum that I'm a part of, and I know the owner of the forum, told me that the dedicated app required constant work and updates as phones and operating systems changed. 

-The mention of syndication being less risky than HML...I'd suggest it is more risk, possibly much much more since you don't know whether you are good or bad at vetting the operator right now.

You also have to build in holding costs, investor capital, operating costs etc.

There are also additional costs of operating and maintaining an LLC, like separate bank accounts, annual report filings, tax filings, etc.2.

Keep in mind that owning rental properties, even if it is a house hack, means operating a business and thus should be treated as one, respectively.

We operate dozens of STR's around Austin.

Would that lower our tax liability from other income we receive or no because this is purely RE and not an operating business?

If you are a STR operator how do you deal with remitting and paying tax?

A lifelong friend and I are motivated to (virtually) meet and connect with those in REI working in the Pittsburgh area.I'm active duty military and living in California with two rental properties (one in Virginia Beach & one in Pittsburgh) and my close friend owns a single family in Baltimore.  

And all those skills you going to have to learn and master in UK to get a property under control, operate it, market it, monetize, operate etc., ALL 100% translates to anything and everything you will do when back in US.