Stessa is not perfect but I like the capability, love the %5 interest rate on my associate account and have found the support honest and effective.  

They have been very professional and effective so far.

Seems like it's in a lower end area so if it is filled you will have tenant issues and turnover cost.

It’s a cleaner, more reliable solution, and while the higher subscription cost can feel like a drawback, it’ll save you a lot of headaches and time in the long run.

To answer your question (that wasn’t actually aimed at me) my concerns are investing in an area that I’m completely new to and building an out of state team that will be effective. 

If your goal is passive income, it's not going to be in New Jersey when you factor in cost to purchase, management costs, and rent to price ratio, but what you can get is steady appreciation.

A good real estate accountant can save you thousands of dollars by leveraging entity selection and formation, tax deductions, cost segregations, bonus depreciation and tax planning.I recommend finding an accountant who specializes in real estate taxation, business taxation, financial planning and tax planning.You may want to consider working with your accountant remotely to expand your options.I would also recommend looking for a accountant willing to work with you throughout the year.

I do not think it would cost too much to tone it down howeverI got a $10k quote (minus fees) from an interior decorator recently to redesign.

It's hard to guess how soon regulations will become effective.

I was wondering if there would be any advantage creating a LLC or business to pay for the renovation costs.