Let him find a roommate but you have the right to screen him/her. 

At least your tenant has passed a background screening (or at least should have) and you know where they live if they were to ever do anything. 

If you view a tenants quality in broader terms then your decision is much more difficult.

The miscellaneous prediction seems a bit low but if the property is in good condition and you have quality tenets then I think your in a good position.

It is easier to control an SFH in regards to area, quality of tenant, and maintenance.

We've done a lot of work on our rentals, hired contractors and vendors for help, advertised for tenants, screened them, signed rental paperwork, and handled A/R and bookkeeping.

How did you obtain peace of mind that the turnkey provider was legit and was actually providing a quality, cash flowing property and not stiffing you?

Part of getting into REI is so that we can spend more of our time together rather than spending more than half our day at other jobs and commuting, getting to work together is a big part of why we want to take this on (and the potential that RE Investing has for financial freedom).My Concerns: I originally thought I would develop myself as a contractor and do most of the work myself at first, but when I consider the time constraints (holding a house way longer to do the work myself, and the quality of work suffering) I realize this isn't an optimal plan.

This will weed out the people who aren’t serious quickly for you.After that, we schedule a phone screening at a specific time.

The amount of work you put in is directly correlated to the speed and quality of your results!