I do my best to stay on top of the renting laws as an agent who works with investors on a daily basis.

What markets do you want to stay in?

I just stayed in a hotel in Moab and we had an A/C issue and it took two days to resolve and, honestly, that's not that out of line with my normal experience at hotels.I don't know where people dreamed up this idea that all hotels have someone waiting outside your room ready to resolve anything in 5 minutes. 

My only tip is to stay on top of the market rents in your area.

But a big difference when your costs stay mostly flat.) whether the property is positive or negative $100-$100/mo should make zero difference to you.

For another business I run I do post daily accountability in a FB/mentorship group and that does help me stay on track.

Sounds like you're on the right track—just stay patient and stick to your criteria!

There are a lot of quirks and oddities in Louisiana law where the current tenant can assert that they have an implied agreement that they can pay late, stay X months without a lease, do whatever action, etc, based on what the current landlord/owner has allowed and told them in the past.

Airbnb with a minimum of 1 month stay could be a good reference too. 

Just personally, I would never do an absentee landlord kinda thing....Too many moving parts, too much to go wrong and cuts into your profit big-time....Sentimental value is one thing, but not if you end up hating the house down the road.....Stay local, plenty of opportunities in good ole AZ.....