@David Rutledge There are pockets of Austin where STR are allowed and don't require a city hotel tax. 

I got the taxes way down on it and held the property for two years.

Most work this way Rates: 9% to 13% (Most Deals are 11-12%)Terms: up to 36 Months (Most Deals are 6-12 months)Fees: 2-4 points(%) of loan amount paid at closing (Most Deals are 3 points(%))Minimum Loan Amount: $50,000 (For loans less than $250,000 $2,500 minimum fee)Max Loan: 65%-70% of After Repair Value(ARV)100% Rehab Financing Available (Require 20% of purchase price down payment or cross-collateral)Closing Timeframe: 48 Hours - 3 Weeks (Most Deals are 2 Weeks)NO PRIMARY RESIDENCES, NON-OWNER OCCUPIED ONLY, BUSINESS AND COMMERCIAL USE ONLY.

Hire a PM before you find you have a non-paying tenant living in your home for 6 months while you beg him to leave while paying his utilities/repairs and probably a relocation fee  I hope you sell, but good luck either way  

Several large Georgia State tax breaks were also part of the deal.

But meanwhile your loan principal got paid down, you had tax write offs and maybe even did some remodeling.Would you have been better off renting from 2007 to 2015?

Absolutely,I have a lot of clients working in Detroit and it has some great opportunities centered around 1-4 unit, affordable fixers that, with a little bit of work can become great cash flowing investments with lower annual tax and insurance costs.The downside is that you definitely have to know what you are doing as the good properties need some hefty work, and the market is pretty competitive.

If ownership is a single member (me), then one of two things happens. 1) we go with the lease agreement option and then Partnership B is receiving passive income that is much lower than what is expected; or 2) we go with a management fee option and then all the profit flows to Partnership B, but the expenses unequally benefit me as the single owner. 

@J Case  those fees sound wrong. 

His cheaper stuff is worth it for basic stuff life tax sale dates and some forms.