Is there a minimum balance required to avoid fees?

No I'm keeping it in cash and avoiding debt right now, but thank you! 

When I approach them for financing on my next property, I want to avoid raising any red flags due to my relocation and the status of my Tennessee home via how I file taxes in 2024 (i.e STR instead of my primary as it was originally intended).  

My goal is to avoid doble taxation, ability to write-off expenses, asset protection and avoiding probate.If anyone can help me with this or refer to an accountant who has experience with cross border real estate transaction, I'll be greatly obliged. 

It should buy time, and avoid legal fees being added to the balance as the foreclosure attorneys wont be involved for a while as they process you for different workouts.

You can manage yourself avoiding property managers.

To avoid going through the same poor experience, keep reading.Even if someone gives you a referral here, do NOT make the mistake of assuming that the PMC will meet your expectations, just because they met the expectations of the referral source.In our experience, the #1 mistake owners make when selecting a Property Management Company (PMC) is ASSUMING instead of CONFIRMING.It's often a case of not doing enough research, as they don't know what they don't know!

Any effort to avoid dealing with the mortgage holder is fraud.

To avoid non-competes and make twice as much, I wouldn't be getting a W2 job initially in Chicago and would rely on 1099 income.

@Ngozi IwunzeOne way to avoid capital gains is to turn the flip into a rental after the rehab and then do a 1031 exchange into a more expensive property.