Not sure how many PMCs you've had bad experiences with, but we'll take exception to:"Then do a thorough research on tenant applicants (note: leaving this to a PM may be hazardous to your financial health)".BP seems to have more threads about screening mistakes by DIY landlords as opposed to PMCs.Now, if you'd have mentioned Maintenance, you'd get no argument from me:) Even the PMC industry acknowledges maintenance as one of the biggest challenges.

If it's too good to be true -it's not true - sadly

Managing a property hours away can be challenging if any issues arise, but having a third-party property management company could help handle those situations and make things more manageable.I think you are in the right place to gain some insight on what would make you successful. 

Rental Market Trends: Is this zip code trending positively for investors looking for cash flow, or should I expect stagnant rents and challenges with appreciation?

Quote from @Michael Smythe: @Felicia Jenkins the shorter the term of the lease and the more tenants there are, the more challenges you'll face - especially if you plan to manage remotely.Who will be your boots on the ground, do showings, maintenance, etc.?

I merely made mention of some of the challenges I faced, but those challenges cannot be overstated either.

As others said out of state can be more challenging based on location but local or out of state both can be done. 

So you would spend around $25-$30k a month (this was 15 years ago) on police details and require union gate and non union gate if you had non union workforce as well.In DC area, the utility providers are a huge challenge, whether getting permanent power, or water/sewer service etc - good luck.

As time went on, prices came down because buyers saw the challenges with rebuilding--trade labor, insurability, not knowing what will be built on adjacent lots (like one lot where the owner built a house that looked like a concrete mushroom and that devalued the adjacent new construction homes built to more conforming architecture), and so on.The weakness with moratoriums such as these is that it is now illegal to offer less than FMV as of 1/6/25--but what was FMV on 1/6/25? 

I've read at least half of the books published and I don't think that's true at all.