They FORCE you to sign up for their merchant account even if you do not use them. 

Keep detailed records of repairs, improvements, and rental income, and consider working with a CPA specializing in real estate to ensure you're taking full advantage of deductions and strategies like passive losses, home office deductions, or even the Qualified Business Income deduction if applicable.Good luck!

Let me know if you have any questions on the process of appreciation and even tax advantages, especially since y'all are engineers!

Hopefully, this is a useful example of what’s achievable with out-of-state investing, even with no local connections. 

Unfortunately I am told most admitted insurance carriers are out of the business for insuring apt complexes in the state of CA (this was even before the LA wildfires this month.

Will talk with them to verify, but im looking at rates currently from under 5% to about 5.5%.. seems even with their largest LOC its over 6% based on current sofr. 

It is something I am interested in doing in the future, potentially even this year, but I am curious how to put concrete numbers to this decision.  

Even part-time is fine.

Or even a paper calendar? 

It is sad that no enforcement can even go after their fraudulent business practices.