Check with each utility to confirm you can have the additional accounts in a tenant's name.In our North East Pennsylvania location, the water companies will allow a separate meter, HOWEVER, they require a separate water main from the street hookup to the additional house meter so they may control each meter on the property independently of the other(s) without entering the dwelling.

Also, I can't tell anything by just this post but there are investment property loans that don't require 25% down. 

I am curious what shape the house was when it was half-gifted to you because reading between the lines it seems like you squatted in the gift and didn't do any maintenance and don't really know anything about owning or maintaining a house.I also don't know why you want to get a rental and be a landlord when a house you got as a gift is a disaster.

Anywhere we can demo the maintenance requests?  

It sounds plausible to me, if PMs are required to be licensed real estate broker/salesperson in WA, that the Property Management Agreement may include an Exclusive Right to List.

If I want to use the STR tax loophole, would living in a different state affect the advantage of the so called STR tax loophole, as long as I remain active in managing the property and fulfill the other requirements?

If you had a default interest clause in your promissory note and didn't enforce that and they still made monthly installment payments, for which you accepted each time, then you are in a sticky situation to require additional extension costs. 

Will 300 a month for maintenance/vacancy with 150 cash flow be okay for this property?

This InvestorLift requires an upfront $5k non refundable and looks to me like there is no option for inspections....curious what others take on this site is.Thank you in advance, I'm fully committed and learning daily...love this site and it's members

I like the 5% conventional over fha because you can drop pmi once you have 20% equity without refinancing and the appraisal inspection requirements on condition are less strict.