Is it better to take care of that and know that it's under control?

This is precisely what the 50% rule does.Again...I don't have a problem with it being used to screen properties.

Three of my aunts/uncles were jockeying for control of the house.

Master the art of raising rents (in non-rent control areas) and deliberately causing a mass exodus of the riff-raff.Learn to love and be able to solve other peoples problems...would be my tip for success.

Would you be willing to give up control if it means eliminating all of the normal hassles?

Controlled tests so you continuously refine the process to improve results.There is a trade organization called Direct Marketing Association.

it is through the STRUGGLE that makes you feel A L I V E.even those on here that are "living it up"...defined as - passive [and portfolio] income coming in, in amounts that exceed a certain threshold that allows them to work ON their business, rather than IN their business...THUS allowing them the time to spend it [time] exactly as they see fit.being in control of TIME...and using it to do the things you want is a wonderful feeling....even if you're dirt poor.

Main Street (real estate) rarely account for and ignore the following:- The concept of leverage: Up to recently, you could control a hard asset (real estate) with no money down---can't be replicated on Wall Street...Even now, you can control a 100K hard asset for between 5-10K, even if you use stock options, you still can't leverage yourself with OPM the way you can with real estate

This is because if we did it on our own our debt to income ratio would be out of control.

There are plenty of much more precise methods out there, but you lose the simplicity to gain 5% accuracy.