Lots has changed over the years.Managing it yourself from a distance can be done, but it will require your team to be built and for you to have back up strategies if guests need attention and you're unavailable. 

He even chatted with me through this forum (Bigger Pockets) and was very encouraging that you can even do it just with free stuff out there.  

You let it slide, waive the late fee, and she pays by the 10th.

I realize it's just an example and my comment is a generalization but just something to be aware of.With regards to the original question, I think it comes down more to what you want to do and what the offer is for walking away vs. rebuilding.That is the exact example a public insurance adjuster used when speaking to a local investor group a few years ago.

-you can't do a BRRRR without a major rehab. 

Let's say it's a family of 4, do you make them all pay for the aprox $40-$50 screening package?

.#1 NUMBERS GAME:  It's not easy.   

Quote from @Paul Burger: @Damien Davis You could do a modular build, it gets delivered and connected and you're done.

I told him that I could do it and we could split the profit.

Everything is harder when you do it remote, but you are competing with local investors.