I don't like the home warranty, but I'm a long distance landlord and this property is basically breaking even (also owe as much as it would sell for), so I don't want to hire anyone yet.

If you're open to it, download "Long Distance Real Estate Investing" by David Greene as a primer.

. :)  And they're easy to self-manage, even long distance (I lived in Los Angeles when I bought mine) so no big chunks of profit going to PMs.

Theres just different neighborhoods Id rather be in at that price point, but Im probably only talking about a mile or 2 distance at most.

Obviously, there are pockets within regions where the below will vary, but main things that are important to me are availability of MF properties, reliable property mgmt companies (being long distance), and cost.

I'm looking to flip homes long distance and I'm curious how others go about the process when dealing with contractors, and deciding on rehab/cosmetic work.

How far are you willing to commute to work?

There’s plenty of places closer to the city that cost less than city prices to rent, why would a tenant want to make your commute? 

I have a 2.5 hour workday commute.

Low crime, growing area,  a typical 3 bedroom is $400K, rent $2100-2300,  Commutable to San DIego and orange County where prices are 2X this.