He is also a CPA and a real numbers guy, focused on owner ROI, monitoring repair costs, budgets, spreadsheets, doing everything exactly right - very sharp.

I'm sure Josh, Brandon &/or Jaren monitor this category regularly. 

If you want them to be monitored electronically you'll probably have to go with one of the larger utility submetering companies for the installation.

QBO is definitely the best solution - you can use the class tracking system to organize by property to keep a close monitor on how each property is doing individually or analyze your portfolio as a whole.

What strategies do you use to monitor and keep your vacant properties safe? 

The Georgia Secretary of State, Georgia Real Estate Commission, Licensure and Brokerage, states the following: 520-1-.07, Management Responsibilities of Real Estate Firms(e) In order to provide reasonable guidelines for licensees and their support personnel, but without defining every permitted or prohibited activity, the Commission has identified the following tasks that unlicensed support personnel under the direct supervision of a licensee affiliated with a broker can perform:1. answering the phone and forward calls to a licensee;2. submitting data on listings to a multiple listing service;3. checking on the status of loan commitments after a contract has been negotiated;4. assembling documents for closings;5. securing documents that are public information from the courthouse and other sourcesavailable to the public;6. having keys made for company listings and installing or removing lock boxes from company listings;7. writing advertisements and promotional materials for the approval of the licensee and supervising broker;8. placing advertisements in magazines, newspapers, and other media as directed by the supervising broker;9. receiving, recording, and depositing earnest money, security deposits, and advance rents;10. typing contract forms as directed by the licensee and the supervising broker;11. monitoring personnel files and license reports from the Commission;12. computing commission checks;13. placing signs on property and removing such signs;14. ordering items of routine repair as directed by a licensee;15. acting as courier for such purposes as delivering documents or picking up keys [the licensee remains responsible for assuring delivery of contracts and closing documents as required by O.C.G.A.

dl=0 I monitor these every single day.

I have been monitoring BP for a while now and find it to be a huge resource, especially the podcast section.

I now have a smartphone and will hopefully be able to monitor the forums from the mobile app enhancing my overall experience in Bigger Pockets.

Use the MONITOR TOPIC link at the bottom of the post -- you'll get a note/email when it is updated AND you can see it on the monitored topics page.