Readers should seek professional advice.

When you learn to partner with professionals who are well-versed in this segment, most distressed property transactions are quite straightforward.Myth 5: Distressed Properties Are Not Obtainable with FinancingThere is this perception that distressed properties are cash-type deals.

PMC is the professional that will have the most alignment with your goals - agents, lenders, inspectors, etc., are ONLY transaction based.A PMC has to deal with your property, tenants & maintenance EVERY DAY until you sell or terminate them.A great PMC can provide contractors and also check out properties for you. 

Most professionals will recommend a separate LLC for every $1 million in assets but I don't think that's necessary.

You should consult a tax professional for an answer based on your unique situation, this is not tax advise just general information.

Thanks Sarah, I don’t see much house hacking going on in Essex or Dundalk in terms of listings on Zillow or FB so my concern would be finding professional adult roommates that want to house share in that area. i’ve been following a lot of the midterm rental groups in Facebook and the consensus is that contracts have decreased significantly and hospitals are using more local labor pools.

Readers should seek professional advice.

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

I’m a professional civil engineer with years of experience in construction and entrepreneurship.

Estimating is both art & science and FWIW most professional estimators rarely get it spot on, usually operating within a Delta.There's tons of estimating books, software etc.