Otherwise, you will likely be copying someone else's false expectations.I have reviewed hundreds of such self-constructed logs, and most of them will not hold water.

Hi Jasmine-Congratulations on being ready to turn your primary residence into a rental.Your question is should you use a property manager or self-manage your property.If there is enough positive cashflow or you can afford to pay a property manager, I always recommend doing so for the following reasons:1.

Quote from @Johnny Lynum: Quote from @Billy Smith: I like SFH in the A-B area rent it you do the  upkeep  doing as much as possible your self to help max your rent out .I like to pay down the note as fast as possible .If in a C-D area I would flip the SFH wash your hands of it.SFH are generally easier to unload if you get in a cash crunch, I like staying in the first time home buyers level of a SFH  keeping it in a hot zone .If I were a BIG fish I would do deals at various level's of course after  doing the home work . 

The advantage of Reg D over relying on the general exemption is (1) if you comply the SEC can’t come back and say you should have registered and (2) if your sued by a disgruntled investor you have a definitive defense, which means an attorney is unlikely to take an investors case on a contingency basis - unless fraud was committed.  

One thing to consider is that in terms of wealth building and Kiyosaki's Cashflow Quadrant, owing a rental and doing work yourself is putting you in the self-employed quadrant, not Business Owner or Investor.I think there are a lot of factors stacked against California for long term rentals, and I think you know it too! 

In my case, I have residential rentals in one LLC, commercial properties in another, self-storage in a third, and my real estate company operates in a fourth.

So, you are not at limiting your self when buying a new property.

However if you are self managing, that is work. 

If you are using STR, REPS, or self rental with material participation to convert to active or nonpassive income, you do not have to do this if you have passive business invesment that produce passive income that will exceed the loss generated by depreciation.

The best defense against the "slip n fall Jimmys" of the world is to not be a target.