Personally when buying rentals I tend to buy in neighborhoods that I feel like I wouldn't personally mind living in and when I look for tenants I try to look for people that not only pass my screening but also I personally don't dislike.  

I've personally utilized private notes on three transactions and participated in another handful of negotiations with sellers on behalf of buyers in the past five years. 

That could work if you find the right person.

Probably not a good person to hire, maybe let your bosses know. 

Intangible assets like goodwill or tangible personal property (e.g., equipment) are excluded from 1031 treatment and are taxed separately—goodwill is typically taxed as a capital gain, while equipment may be subject to depreciation recapture taxed as ordinary income.To minimize taxes on the sale of the business, consider strategies such as Opportunity Zone investments, which defer gains until 2026 if proceeds are reinvested in a Qualified Opportunity Fund (QOF), or structuring the sale as an installment agreement to spread taxable income over multiple years.

If you have, you have put yourself at great personal risk.Again, I recommend you get a lawyer as soon as possible.

@Erica King Sounds like this is more of a personal budgeting concern rather than a real estate one.

For instance, said property manager manages maintenance issues, problems that arise during bookings, basically anything that needs a physical person at the property, while I manage the rest?

Figure out which best fits you and your personality and take it from there.  

I am betting your gonna find a lot more friendly amicable persons than shut doors.