Please feel free to give honest thoughts on realistic returns, and if anyone has any recommendations of property management companies that will give honest guidance, that would be greatly appreciated.  

Rentrange uses data from large property management companies just like mine.

I have done quite a few different things, one of the best to find out who is doing the most volume is go onto good and search for the "we buy houses companies" in the area you are looking to invest.

@Amy Jones are you looking to remotely self-manage or looking for referrals to property management companies?

I work with a lot of househackers and they're typically on the 12 month cycle, rinse and repeat.While the proposition of acquiring an investment property outside of your market in a "landlord friendly" state may sound appealing, i would recommend you stay local for now and househack another couple of properties over the next few years until you've got some more time / experience under your belt.you would need a management company to cover your property that is outside of your market which would not only take 8-10% of your gross it would also leave you a bit vulnerable to a property management company that you A.)know nothing about and B.)you won't have the experience or cashflow or proximity to deal with any headaches that may arise.i would recommend staying local and househacking your way along for now and then maybe hire a local property management company initially to work with your current/local properties to get a taste of what to expect if and when you begin investing outside of your market.

-Start at a title company- they will help you structure liens and deeds so that your interest is protected properly.

The days of using Kitchen and Bath companies for the cabinets and countertops in your flips are over.

Cash flow, even that which looks good initially, tends to get eaten up by the real cost of the upgrades needed to keep the property rented.  

Depending on the type of commercial you want to get into my suggestion is to go work for a company that does commercial real estate as learning from people who do it and getting paid at the same time is not a bad strategy 

Very different from a typical insurance company.