I would advise speaking with an attorney or title company to ensure that everything goes smoothly. 

If the contractor got this part wrong, I'll bet you $20 the tile job will not go well since your contractor didn't know the proper backer.A good tiler will very diligently make sure the tile surface is smooth, plumb, etc.  

It requires slightly more work upfront but once you get your systems down, it's pretty smooth sailing.

I'm a freelance photographer and writer so was just planning on doing that work at the rental/primary when it isn't rented, staying up there some of the nights when it's not rented, registering my license etc there.

Whenever you are buying a property out of state you should do a few things to ensure it's as smooth as possible.

nothing will smooth it over. 

(Somewhat) Smooth transaction and a win for all parties involved. 

A smooth sea never produced a skilled sailor (Franklin D.

I need some more deals here in Chicago that go that smoothly.  

I think a real estate license is an invaluable asset for an investor.Every experienced investor must have a good team of real estate professionals to have their deals go smoothly.