So my plan is that I will do routine check up on the house every few months and we'll see.

If you're going the umbrella insurance route, make sure it will cover you for several things including just the routine slip and fall (like mold or earthquake).

Have discipline and create a routine.

This website is full of users who don't understand that.I routinely recommend two of the three books JD has recommended, Your Money or Your Life and Set for Life. 

Put a notice on door stating you are entering to check status of unit (or do routine maintenance).

Tell them you are the landlord not the housekeeper and routine housekeeping is their responsibility. 

Lesson learned and now I am more assertive about changing out the filters routinely.

@Scott GallowayOpex- operating expensesCapex- capital expenditures Wrt avoiding 20% down statement:You’ll find a LOT of talk of people routinely turning primary residence into a rental.

For example, I seldom do that many routine jobs that are more than a couple of hours (unless painting or putting in flooring or something) so the drive would be the worst part of the many little tasks I do on rentals--showing the unit, checking on this or that, dropping off something, cleaning the gutter, cutting some weeds, etc. 

Agreed...we routinely rent to students that plan on attending for the next three or more years.