We are both photographers and will be continuing to do freelance work out there.

Hope they work out for ya.Cheers,Kevin

Ive worked with agents on a flat fee basis and had it work out great.

Seems to me cash out refinance is the way to go, keeping more money in my pocket, and readjusting the cash flow of existing property to fit a specific income threshold over time to minimize income taxes in retirement (Right now my taxable income is in the low to mid six figures but in retirement I plan on keeping my realized investment income low so I am free of capital gains taxes).Plus this way I can always come back to the Seattle area and move into one of my rentals if my retirement destination (Florida) doesn't work out. 

I will still stick to my "One house a year" buying strategy, but when an opportunity to not only help another investor get started and having the deal work out for all involved, I'm no longer a strictly buy and hold investor! 

It generally works itself out but it adds a layer of complexity that is less in a single family home: Negotiating a good neighbor fence with the property owner of the rental house next door can be a pain, but, (short of an aggressive s dog in one yard or the other), it is generally less intense than a neibor's bathtub leaking into your unit, or vice versa.

Could not work out their issues, one tenant called the cops but that didn't fix the problem.

REI can be capital-intensive, and my debt is higher than I ever would have allowed it to go in the past, but it's funding investments that produce net gains.  

I would have much rather seen that money go towards anything that would increase the value of the community (e.g. workout room, new windows, etc). 

Honestly, my secrets are I sub most of the work out independently.