What level of engagement do I really want with my properties?

I am an out of state investor and in the past I have purchased my properties based on video walkthrough that my (trusted) realtor does.

the more units you have the less per unit per month.Like @Ryan Moyer mentioned, OwnerRez has a library of videos you can view and has a 14 day free trial, unlike Hostaway that doesn't have a free trial.

ANd no you cant touch it, but you also cant touch your downloaded music and videos, nor the software running on your PC, yet they bring you value and you don't think twice about spending dollars for it.

I have other projects I am doing too, and understand the consequences of the engagement. 

If you want to JV your wholesale deals you want to do it with someone you know, like, and trust over time and have met in person.There’s nothing more wasteful and inefficient (in the private sector) than financial intermediaries engaging in a “daisy chain” to try to close “undoable” deals.

Check their communication style - do they respond promptly, comfortable with video calls, and send regular updates?

Here are a few simple and free ways to learn: Go to real estate meetup groups, attend open houses and speak with the agent there, inspect FSBOs (for sale by owner), walk your area, and speak to people tending their yards.The idea is to engage with other people and ask, Ask, ASK questions about their experience with the local market.Some other ideas: find a home inspector who will let you tag along in a property inspection, and absorb what they are looking at and why.Your mindset and enthusiasm for learning about real estate will open many doors for you.Good Luck!

We give them the exact address, a video of what it looked like when it was bought, who did the rehab, what the rehab cost, what it rented for, a video of what it looked like AFTER the rehab, who did the loan (who the lender was), etc. 

However, as I stated before, most investors including most of the folks in that room in the video are looking for returns much higher than what they are typically going to find being allowed via an institutional sale.