Speaking to a contractor, just to remodel 3 of the 8 buildings could cost around $750,000. 

Closing CostsMake sure you also budget for closing costs, which are a collection of fees and payments made to the various parties involved in your transaction.

Additionally you can do a cost segregation study and get a lot of depreciation benefits to offset the rental income (and potentially other income).  

I’ve been thinking DSCR but don’t they typically have higher down payments and closing costs?

If you sell your property, the tax basis (original cost) of the property for the giver becomes the tax basis for the recipient.

This approach is cost-efficient and eliminates the complexities of dual-state filings.

I will say, short term rentals require a bit more work, and if you are moving out of state, you may want to take a look into getting a property manager ( take that cost into account when running the numbers ).I hope that helps, reach out if you have any more questions. 

(It’s multi-family but not entirely stabilized.)Rehab Costs: How much should I budget for bringing vacant units to market-ready condition?

I'm going to reiterate what's already been mentioned above, but I'm going to actually give you examples of why it's relevant to you to find a U.S. tax professional.1 - You're going to need to file U.S. taxes once you have property down here, there's federal filings, state filings, and sometimes local filings too2 - Tons of tax treaties between the U.S. and Canada that are easy to miss and can cost you a lot of money (important one with rentals - effectively connected income - if the professional you talk to doesn't know what this is, run away)3 - The amount of days you spend in the U.S. needs to be tracked and if you go over a threshold, all of your worldwide income could be taxable by the U.S.4 - Selling real property means up to 15% of your sales proceeds might not be available to you for years (FIRPTA)5 - Lots of nuance at the state and local levels, which both want to take as much money from you as possibleMain takeaway here is that you should find a U.S. based tax person.

EDUCATE YOURSELF - yes, it will take time, but will lead to a selection that better meets your expectations & avoids potentially costly surprises!