WE have very robust customer service in these markets..

@Joe Martella the Reports section of Stessa is now pretty wonderfully robust. 

I would venture your best preparation for this type of venture is to actually work at one and gain insight to how they function.

If your tenants aren't very smart, odds are they won't understand how to use the smart technology, particularly when it's not functioning properly.Technology does some really neat things, but it can also cause some really big problems.

Some brokerages want you to work in the office and function more as a full-time agent, and some are perfectly happy to let you do your own thing.

So bay area local economy is very robust, while in Miami, the house is  expensive due to cap compression + massive investment from South America.

Ideally, there would be enough landlords on the site along with easy enough functionality that you could verify any landlord reference by contacting that landlord on the site.

Also  @Scott Meyers has some very robust training options that you may want to consider Scott invited me to one of his events and there is really great networking and you get to talk to the beginners who need someone like Scotts training so they don't make a big boo boo and then there were very successful larger operators and everything in between..

Since it is a benefit for them, they might work with you to keep them functional.

. - This mostly applies to plumbing for me but since I was living in this property and wanted to have a functional bathroom and kitchen I starting with renovating the first floor (while living on second floor), finishing that, then started the process over with the second floor.