Additionally it will have to take care of itself so property management is included in this.

This is only a guess, take it with a gain of salt. 

Successful flippers are:- Building relationships with reliable contractors- Ordering materials well in advance- Being strategic about which renovations will truly deliver ROI Regulatory EnvironmentRecent changes to Phoenix building codes have emphasized:- Stricter energy efficiency requirements- More rigorous inspection processes- Additional permits for certain types of renovationsBe prepared for longer permitting timelines than in years past.Financial ConsiderationsThe financing landscape has evolved significantly:- Hard money lenders are offering more competitive rates (7-9%) than the 12-14% seen in 2022- Several Phoenix-specific investment groups have emerged that pool resources for flips- Traditional lenders now offer more renovation loan products tailored specifically to the Arizona marketThe Bottom LineThe Phoenix market in 2025 offers solid opportunity for house flippers who approach projects strategically.

Do not be afraid to Collateralize yourself with additional deposits to fill a vacancy. 

Becoming an S-corp has some downsides including additional tax prep fees, payroll processing fees and lower social security income in retirement. 

After just one year, when that tenant vacated, FPM charged an additional $2,800 in turnover costs, with $770 earmarked just for touching up paint on a single wall—borderline comical.

I've also held of holding properties in individual LLCs that are owned by one S corporation, which allows for a 60 / 40 split between ordinary income (regular tax) and dividends (capital gains tax rate).With the goal of minimizing taxation and liability protection, what would be the recommendation from more experienced people here?

Even if the rental has a decent cash flow with additional flood insurance, we're still not sure we want to take on that risk as we are out-of-state investors (planning to move back to KY in the future, but not now) and we don't like that it will potentially bring down the perceived value when we try to sell it in the future.The seller has never lived there and has not provided any information on if it has flooded before or not. 

I would have contacted the locksmith tech to get additional details before assuming it was tenant damage.

Bringing in a partner, second mortgages, line of credit are sources of additional funding to close.