And it costs them so much that they never really understand, time/money/sleepless nights/angst.

., I understand your situation, but everything you have stated is a huge red flag.

Better to lose nearly $10k in rent (~50% of 90 day rent value) than get a risky tenant.Especially if you self manage, make sure you understand the protections provided mid term renters in CA.Good luck

I have a basic understanding of how the process works.

AirDNA + a deep dive just looking at the market via the booking platforms to understand the nuances of what drives price 

There might be good reason for you to move these five properties into the LLC, but first understand why you will benefit from doing so.  

Just understand that PMC will probably start eviction process, so you will NEED an attorney to protect yourself from an eviction on your record.

@Min Zhang I am actually reading that book now, and have found it to be quite helpful in starting to build an understanding of what it takes to succeed in investing out of state!

It does suck how 30 Year fixed rates don't exist but, I totally can understand why.

@Vinh NguyenI am not an attorney but as I understand it, if cash is accepted as a portion of a home sale that isn't reported to the government, it is considered tax fraud.