It's a systems business and can be fully automated with the right systems in place.

I have been able to automate most things online, applications, payments, etc. 

I have excel spreadsheets, but it doesn't automate reports and trigger tasks, manage vendors, etc.

Moreover, the additional features such as automated reminders, online rent collection, and real-time reporting can save you a ton of time and reduce the margin for error.With that in mind, I've created a list of some of the best property management software programs currently on the market.

You pay a commission to a home away type site, credit card fee, software fees, you pay higher wear and tear of people coming in and out with their bags and stuff, higher insurance cost, deep cleans, furnishings, Linens, coffee Service, automation costs, you supply the utilities and Wi-Fi, cable TV, etc etc.

Pairing your outreach with some automation that you set up in advance (email drip campaigns or mailers to current property owners for example) are also good things to implement that can streamline your outreach.  

Alright, enough with the fluffy mumbo jumbo, here's the deal.The Deal:Market:Choosing Cleveland came down to a couple things:-I had people I could trust already investing in those areas so I knew I could learn from them and rely on their advice-I had a strict criteria of finding a duplex as my first deal and there was an ample amount of those in B-/C+ neighborhoods-There was decent job stability in overall city though I still have some reservations around the declining population growth-There was 4 unique economies where there wasn't one economy that had more than 25% of the industry share-The purchase prices was affordable and within the budget I was comfortable investing with-The median income to rent ratio was right around 30%The House:How: Automated listing on the MLS.

Although it's not too complicated, I figured that there has to be a way that is more automated.  

@Harry Williams If you want to try to move from excel to something a little more automated you could try mint.com. 

Also consider signing up for a tenant management portal like Apartments.com that automates the late fee charge and also provides recurring payment options.