I would not let a GC pick finishes - especially if its a flip - if anything get a realtor to assist.In regards to doing this from afar, I recommend hiring a project manager for a few grand per month to oversee the project for you, if not you are relying 100% on the GC which is not something I recommend. 

Not sure if you'll pick the right property?

Just pick your properties correctly.

I remember back when I was ramping up my own rental portfolio in those early-2000s San Diego days, I learned the hard way that ignoring “little” costs..like that termite treatment or the property manager’s onboarding fee..can turn what looked like a sweet deal into something that barely breaks even.Let’s say you pick up a property in one of those under-the-radar neighborhoods in Omaha or maybe on the south side of Chicago..markets I’ve seen a few colleagues dabbling in lately..you’ve got to be ready to get real about the numbers.

I flew out there every 3 months hand picking properties from listings.

In my area (near the beach) its mostly families and they want cabanas, baby items, chairs, coolers etc that we do not provide but I have a local vendor that delivers and picks up these items and charges a few dollars per day for each item, and give me a 20% referral. 

okc market is at historic lows for leasing(especially September) it has picked up some in Oct. 

(@Jonathan Greene DM us if you'd like to chat about them)Regarding turnkey in Metro Detroit, haven't seen anyone do it the right way:( We've picked up dozens of their clients that fire them due to poor tenant performance and nonstop repairs on their "turnkey" properties. 

I’ve been in the real estate game for over two decades, and I’ve had my fair share of experiences with PM companies... some stellar, others not so much.Here’s what I’d suggest:Start Local: In OC, there’s a lot of value in picking a PM company that knows the ins and outs of the area.

Here's how I do my due diligence:1) Portfolio matching: (takes 30 seconds per deal)a) Have an educated opinion on where I think we are in the real estate cycles (financial and physical market cycles)b) Then and only then do I pick the strategies, capital stack, and specialized asset subclasses that make sense for that opinion.