Both allow you to avoid touching retirement funds while leveraging the value of your properties.

There are so many scams out there that we have to protect ourselves and unsuspecting tenants before allowing a showing.

Smoking is not allowed inside. 

Many experienced investors are willing to partner if you find the right property and do the legwork.3.Seller Financing & Creative Deals– Some sellers will carry the note, allowing you to buy with little or no money down.

Some costs MAY qualify as startup costs if the rental rises to a qualifying trade or business level under 195 as well.

Also, in regards to a per diem, I'd like to be a bit more optimistic that I can establish the right checks and balances to ensure that the contractor is not skipping corners.

However, if you sell instead of rebuilding, the IRS may include part of the payout in your taxable gain unless reinvested under the §1033 involuntary conversion rules, which allow you to defer taxes by purchasing a similar property within two years.If the property was your primary residence, you may exclude up to $250K (single) or $500K (married) of gains if you lived there for at least 2 of the last 5 years, likely resulting in no taxes owed.

I don't think it is a bad idea to find work in real estate somehow as it will allow you to be comfortable with being around it in general, such as a property management company.

It ends when they AND their stuff is removed to the level that allows you to begin the re-rental process. 

What documents do they require, what credit scores do they allow, how do they verify previous rental history, etc.?