It is essential to be able to communicate very clearly and receive very itemized estimates for any work contracted out!

My trip is essentially a vacation, but other than enjoying the unique touristy things each city has to offer, I really want to use the bulk of my time to explore markets and dip my toe in the water of investing, exploring different neighborhoods, looking at properties, talking to agents, investors, and whomever else can provide valuable insight on what I'd be venturing into when I'm eventually ready to buy.My intention with this post isn't really to turn this into a sort of journal with periodic updates, but mostly I was hoping that this post, and perhaps others in the future, could help me connect with some of you more experienced folks out there who may be willing to lend a helpful hand in anything at all real estate related. 

My knee-jerk answer is to tell you to sell, especially considering you will be essentially making nothing (and actually losing money when you factor in vacancy, maintenance, etc), but you should really talk with some other Washington investors:@Steve Vaughan is a good place to start. 

His team can offer services at $500/mo to manage bookkeeping for essentially 4 businesses.

So that's essentially what I was thinking and realizing.

Furthermore, rehabbing, marketing, and managing properties are essential strategies for value-added deals.

I guess you chose to exclude the New York's 23rd Congressional District.

Essentially, he's just a fund manager.

That is the logical next step and I will keep you posted.Cash flow situation will depend entirely on getting a handle on expenses. seems to be a lot of maintenance and a property manager that is getting paid $30k plus rent.Getting rid of the utility rebill, property manager, and getting ahold on maintenance will be essential.

Essentially as you pointed out, if you aren't selling in the next 2 - 5 years, it quickly becomes a no brainer.