Need letter from employer that either says they allow remote work or the hire is for Texas location. 

Especially on SFR which currently are not rent controlled (see prop 33).  

I recommend you find a way to give these animals away before you lose control and end up on a reality TV show.

I am not seeking to charge each tenant, only seeking to remotely monitor each buildings water usage to identify costly waste/problems early as possible.

Technology has made remote property ownership very feasible.  

I think this is wiser than having to rely on remote boots but to each his own right.

I am worried about having an intermediary taking control of my property and renting to tenants I haven't screened.

Doing all this remotely is even harder. 

The most satisfying changes I've made is move out of tech management and back into just engineering roles, I sold my house in the city and moved to 5 acres in the hills where i work remotely for less money gladly, I've paid off everything, and now I have the flexibility to do anything.

But the one thing that you can control is your creativity and how far are you willing to go with risk .