I am wondering if it is worth it to hire a designer to pick out flooring, wall colors, layout of kitchen, furniture, etc.

After 4 months, she had already purchased another home on another river, and sold this and the 1 bedroom cottage next door - both of which had great bones, one was partially renovated and both included about half the furniture needed.

When we would replace mattresses we would drive 2 hours south as there is only one crappy expensive furniture store near us, and go to like a Mattress Giant type of place and actually lie down on the mattresses and see which ones were comfortable and pick one and then negotiate the price.

It actually looks weird and awkward to me... the window shadows are still there even though furniture would be blocking the space.

A lot of people see an empty floor plan and have trouble imagining how to decorate it/where there furniture is going to go.  

You can write off the milage on your car to get there, gas, meals, furniture, property management expenses, maintenance and depreciation. 

Currently separate outside stairs to second floor.Most of the house he has looked at they would leave all of the furniture, lawnmowers and tractor.  

., but most investment was in updating furniture, appliances, etc. for guests.

You risk some money on furniture (which you can resell if it doesn't work out) and vacancy time.

If you want as little hands-on as possible, turnkey is obviously the way to go BUT you can still sell/get rid of furniture you don't like and make some small changes.