He personally screened every tenant, handled every maintenance request, and even showed up to mow the lawn at his properties when the landscapers were running late.His phone rang constantly—contractors, tenants, vendors—all needing his immediate attention.

This is rarely done as in most situations lenders will not consent, and at a minimum want the buyer to qualify AND personally guarantee.  

This is probably a place where you go to one of the personal loan sites to borrow money or maybe a credit union. 

Separately I have a personal umbrella policy.  

I have never seen the homes in person, but got a good walk through from my realtor.

Definitely a personal question. 

I'm also in a 5 person group within gobundance called a 'gopod' and we meet weekly.

Personally I pay $300 commission to get the new tenant, 8% of rent collected, and $150 for renewals.

Explore my personal favorites, Set For Life by Scott Trench or The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey, for invaluable financial insights.3.

I personally would go that route as it would probably be less expensive.