I guess (the combination of the two) a vacation rental would work in SC but seems harder to monitor long distance. 

Folks monitoring their accounts will likely see that mention quicker and may not ever see it if you don't use that feature.

There is nothing illegal about monitoring a pool area and it is probably a good idea considering the massive liability that a pool presents.

I did some research and found that there are external power monitors (Sense, iotaWatt, etc.) that can attach to their electrical panel to monitor overall energy usage.

Should be some good locals that monitor that forum that could make suggestions as well.

Installed water usage sensor, leak sensors and cameras for remote monitoring.

The conditional use permit has a one-time fee of $100, and the business license fee is $900, paid annually.North Las Vegas also requires a 660-foot separation requirement from other short-term rentals, and property owners must install noise monitoring equipment outside.

The last question is to help you monitor and track the effectiveness of your various marketing methods and tools...it can also help give you a preliminary idea of how motivated the seller is.For instance, people who contact you through bandit signs will tend to be more 'out of options' than people who contact your newspaper or yellow page ads.Screen for Motivation Is property currently on the market?

Plumber, Electrician, handyman, exterminator, etc.2. give your tenants a list of those contractors for emergency purposes. let them know you cannot answer the phone because of your job but they should text you and you will respond within a few hours. let your tenants know in an emergency they can contact the contractors directly but to text you and keep you in the loop. most emergencies will be plumbing - no heat, no hot water, leak.3. put cameras around the house and have an internet connection so you can monitor remotely.  

Safety monitoring - A big concern in basement apartments is Carbon Monoxide.