One of the best ones is a Bigger Pockets classic:Amazon.com: The Book on Managing Rental Properties: A Proven System for Finding, Screening, and Managing Tenants with Fewer Headaches and Maximum Profits (BiggerPockets Rental Kit, 3): 9780990711759: Turner, Brandon, Turner, Heather: Books2) Never tell your tenants your are the owner.

Could be a good initial strategy for you especially if you like to DIY.

I grew up blue collar and my dad was a contractor, so I'm very much a DIY guy and think I can reasonably handle property management. 

Please lets KIT.  

  - There are a lot of good folks on BP who have been in the game a long time and can vouch for different QIsAs for your DIY model: you can't do 99% of exchanges on your own, the IRS won't let you. 

I'm representing several people right now who tried to DIY their business contracts, and because they didn't know what they were doing they are out tens of thousands.  

Being a builder, my first thought goes to the construction type items: Tile or wood floors, vinyl shower kits, high quality wall paint like Behr Marquis, solid wood furniture, good appliances not cheap rental ones, easy to maintain yard outside like DG, artificial turf and gravel. 

You can do a DIY minisplit as well.

When you need 100+ of these or even a few hundreds, it could take hours and hours to DIY.

You can DIY, but based on all the things you have said, I think it is time you hire an attorney.