For example, I have a tenant portal where they can pay rent or submit maintenance requests.

PMs are busy - if you email a PM and say "Hey PM, I'm looking at 123 Main St. and I think it will rent for $1500 a month, does that sounds right?"

You’ll also want to know how they handle rent collection and late payments and if they can provide references from other investors they work with.A good investor-friendly agent should have a strong network of professionals like contractors, inspectors, and lenders to help with your investments.

People like to rent from a person not a 'brand', it's more personal.

We rent an environmental screen database that provides us with a 24 hour turnaround environmental screen and engineer evaluation of the report. 6.

We rent to plenty of S8 applicants; I've always believed the standard of care they exude is as high if not higher than "market" applicants because they'll get kicked out of the program if they don't.

I'm considering purchasing a condo or a small SFH in the Oceanside/Carlsbad area as an investment property and renting it out on a short term rental site like AirBNB. 

Another tailwind to rent growth. 

Live in one unit and rent out the other three.

If you do decide to help them out and rent continues to be late simply have a talk wiht them and remind them that rent helps pay your bills and since you did them a solid ask for the same in return.