I've seen a number of turnkey properties in Pgh (my former hometown) in the $100k range, so I think I could purchase a multi-family or two single family houses and possibly double my cash flow. 

The house is in good condition, AC and roof are 5 years old.Generally I keep $2000/year towards maintenance when I buy houses that are 5-15 years old in this price range.

If we assume expenses are around 35-40% of the gross rents, NOI could be around the $30k-$35k range.

It has been suggested to go the route of an Expediter to facilitate - they charge in the range of $3k to $6k for this. 

The special allowance for active real estate losses is up to $25,000 in otherwise disallowed (passive) losses, and the modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) phase out range is $100,000-$150,000.

The property prices that I'm looking at are all in the sub-$150k range.

Given your need to avoid personal guarantees and collateral, consider the following institutions:KeyBank: Headquartered in Cleveland, KeyBank offers a range of commercial banking services and has experience with international clients.

Definitely looking to start smaller, in the 2-4 unit range, but seeing what you put in your buy box helps me think about narrowing mine.Plan is for funds to primarily come from saving from my W-2 work and possibly utilizing equity from my primary residence, though that is something I would need to really plan out.  

I am covering utilities for the 1st floor and garden unit (for a 3-unit MFH rental)Any recommendations for a programmable thermostat where I can lock appropriate temperature ranges?

For clear evidence, you may want to consider an air quality monitor specifically noted for detecting a range of smoke types.