He knows the loan will pay and they won't default because he knows they're solid. 

My portfolio is not that large and it irked me to pay a bookkeeper so much and still have to do a lot of the work.

Quote from @JooYung Choi: You could consider going for a STR in a vacation market that will give you way more cash flow to pay off the HELOC quicker.

We have taken over LOTS of occupied units with under paying tenants.

We almost went with a loan that we have to pay all the cost upfront and then get reimbursed on the back end and that was just not something we were willing to do.

But if this is a one-off, it's probably better to pay a local co-host who already has the local connections.Talk to @J.

Usually MTR comes fully furnished with utilities included, so you pay for the convenience.if the area has traveling nurses, other professionals that come for a few months for work they normally pay more, in certain cases the employer pays the rent not familiar with that particular market,  but worth looking into it.

If you do have a TX LLC just to hold a TX property, you still have to register in CA as a foreign LLC, which still means paying the CA LLC tax.

Someone told me I’m crazy since they still always pay. 

Your paying $180 for nothing for now.