Still waiting for someone to explain to me how this model truly benefits the property owner. 

Good questions and not my area of expertise so I'm not going to pretend I have good answers there other than suggest talking to a good estate planning attorney and tax professional, because that's their area of expertise.

But I don't think the broker model will entirely go away.

I'm in this strange position of being out of state and unfortunatley not having the time to visit or gain personal expertise.

Building a network of agents, contractors, and lenders who understand cash flowing rentals and the BRRRR model will be key as you continue to scale.

I'm looking to surround myself with people who have expertise in real estate investing.

Many investors choose a profit-sharing model for true equity partners, often splitting profits 50/50 or based on the level of their contribution to the deal, but ensure everything is clearly defined in writing to avoid misunderstanding/miscommunication. 

Deep knowledge of tenant segments and their behaviors is essential, and this expertise comes only through a good property manager.

With the recent nation wide updates for flood modeling, you'll want to plan for bigger ponds.

However, it does demand solid digital marketing expertise to see positive results.