At this point I am focused on finding partners who I can trust to help with the reformation estimates & work as well as an agent who can lend their expertise to determine the rental potential of any unit with better confidence.

Open to negotiation.While we would give serious consideration to the above arrangement, my question for today is whether or not there are other risk management techniques that we could use to protect ourselves from the mechanical risks and keep our interest in the property whole.Thanks,Chris

In most cases, as the landlord, you have a responsibility to gather the facts and do what is then necessary to protect your property, and your tenants.

You may be unable to get quick response times from him, but he bears mentioning because of his expertise. 

I'd like to set up a LLC to protect me and any future assets I acquire but not sure how that will affect my borrowing ability.

That's the broker protection clause, right?

., Canada or Mexico (initially limited to these county's due to shipping scales of economy, to be expanded elsewhere if I can get shipping costs down).I ask this question for the purposes of:Paying the lowest LLC start up and recurring costs related to the LLC.Having the least amount of paperwork required to start, and maintain the LLC.Having the most comprehensive protection for such a business (& of course, for me the individual owner of the LLC).Aside from the LLC, I will get a CA class a cottage food permit and of course pay CA taxes. 

Should I buy these with hard money, get them cash-flowing and sell, offering my Airbnb expertise and being here?

Investors have multiple accounts for asset protection, so most of the time investors on here propbably has 3-4 accounts in 2-5 different investment sectors. 

Having entry-barriers to anything forces the participant to be able to perform at a certain level of capability prior to entry, and is a form of protection for all participants, both new and seasoned.