I use Cozy as a tenant and there is no problem.Physical check may create unnecessary issues for bookkeeping and accounting so it is always better to collect rent through a software.If you consider to use a property management, most of the property management softwares have the rent payment feature nowadays.

Payroll, bookkeeping, etc can mostly be done remotely.Here is a great list of questions to ask a potential accountant:http://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/51/topics/70447-questions-to-ask-a-cpaAlso check out the www.NAEA.org page in your search.

We talked income and expenses (though his book keeping is lax), but didn't discuss purchase price yet.

I do want to see how their bank statements compare with their bookkeeping file and tax returns. 

I should add bookkeepers and every other hardworking staffer in an accounting firm!  

Payroll, bookkeeping, etc can mostly be done remotely.Here is a great list of questions to ask a potential accountant:http://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/51/topics/70447-questions-to-ask-a-cpaAlso check out the www.NAEA.org page in your search.

Ask the questions you need answers to and walk if they can't provide the answers.I once bought a grocery store with crappy bookkeeping - so I asked them for several quarters of their sales tax reports (the income reported to the state).

QuickBooks: $300 (I will do bookkeeping myself in 1st year)4. 

My next goal is to transfer from excel (which has done well for me) over to a bookkeeping software.

My bookkeeper is a generalist.