Airdna is a good resource and tool, but I wouldn't rely solely on that platform for data.

So I would encourage you to adjust your expectations starting out and develop the discipline of saving money so that every month your net worth is higher than the month before.

I've been a member of BiggerPockets for 5 years or so, but have never truly contributed to the platform.

Thanks for the encouragement!

If so, self-managing properties might not be the best use of your time - In any case, I'd encourage you to talk to multiple local property management companies, keep the above in mind, and understand how they approach management.In my experience, property management isn’t just about finding the right tenant or collecting rent—especially in a tenant-friendly state like Rhode Island.

I would encourage the use of a warranty deed to the situation that @Steve Vaughan mentioned above.

If you have the ability to visit, I highly encourage you to do so!

However, informing others of all the reasons would be contrary to my desire to not encourage people to move to CA.so CA $ucks.  

@Patricia Andriolo-BullStessa is an excellent platform for tracking income and expenses for investors; it is user-friendly.

Also:_________________________________________________________________________Recommend exploring as many sources as possible to get referrals AND cross-reference them to get as much accurate information as possible.Check out NARPM.com, BP’s Property Manager Finder (BiggerPockets: The Real Estate Investing Social Network), etc.Also, encourage you to learn from the mistakes of others - by reading posts here on BiggerPockets about owners not having their expectations met by their current Property Management Company.