Prioritize cleanliness, appealing furniture and decor, being pet friendly, appealing to your market, professional photography, great customer service, and great reviews.

Lots of decent YT videos as well.There is no (or little) value in having a RE license just for your own use as an investor, and the costs of maintaining it like a full-time professional are higher than you would think.

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

Question: I will of course educate myself on PM, but how many professionals out there are "certified PM"? 

Even if I do find a good deal where the numbers line up inspections will cost anywhere from $500-$3000+ for a professional evolution.

The other fundamentals: professional photography, cross listing, reverse prospecting, etc as well of course as any decent agent does. 

So, making it clear from the start that you are running a professional rental business goes a long way towards avoiding those who are seeking just the opposite.

I am a 30 year old technology(data science) professional who has been dabbling in real estate as a side gig.

Disclaimer – I am an instructor pilot in the Navy and not a real estate professional – so take everything with a grain of salt.

You're right, I should have said once a year or more....because one of the main benefits of the inspection is to have a professional on-the-record.