We elected to show effort for the value of the rental and gain the respect and trust. 

Plus, since your new, you will gain more knowledge of the process til you become comfortable doing your own.

I take it this signage is just used to gain leads?

For a $200-300 a year gain it was not worth it for us.

As for Section 121, I know that I would have to live in my primary residence for at least 2 years out of the preceding 5 years to be eligible for $250K capital gain exclusion (or $500K for a couple).

If you wanted to start from the inside out as a PM and gain experience from that perspective, that's a good idea too.

We are both veterans (she is 100% disabled) and have been wanting to do something with the little money we have and gain financial freedom.

I cheated - - 1031 a SFR rental with high cap gains directly into a 6-unit MFU.Commercial 5+ is always an ARMan LTV 70-75% so forget cheap buy-inhas nothing to do with your DTI or Ficohas everything to do with the DSCR proving the property supports itself.

How much tax is owed on the gain?

I have thought about how I can gain some experience in property management and will need to find a way to work it around my 9-5.