If you are looking for something that could handle towing some appliances then it is still pretty irrelevant as a Chevy Cruze could tow a dishwasher and stove.

One client looked at renovation loan, then just bought with 20% down, and after closing financed RTA cabinets, flooring, etc. on 2-year no interest loans, purchased custom windows direct from manufacturer, has licensed electrician and plumber helping him outside their job on weekends for much reduced rate, etc. 

Another option is going the turnkey route, where although you will be a long-distance landlord your level of involvement will still be minimal, as the turnkey company and the property manager handle most of the daily hassles. 

Your transactional attorney may not be able to handle the litigation piece so I’d ask him for a referral.

How do typical home-owners handle this situation?

I know a lot of property management companies out there will pay a referral fee to the realtors that send them positive leads.This is great as long as the PM company is reliable.When working with REIs, your word is yo...

If there's fire, the tenants would call the fire dept; anything broken would be handled by a call to a service company or handyman. 

When we get a tenant renewal, there is a small commission there and that is split between the company and the Portfolio Manager handling the home. 

And if you intend to occupy one of the units, 100% of rents collected may be used to offset mortgage payment, thus reducing your DTIFannie Mae Selling Guide - B3-3.1-08: Rental Income (02/28/2017)[If a borrower has a history of renting the subject or another property, generally the rental income will be reported on IRS Form 1040, Schedule E of the borrower’s personal tax returns or on Rental Real Estate Income and Expenses of a Partnership or an S Corporation form (IRS Form 8825) of a business tax return.

The two best ways I’ve found to fatten the bottom line is via fees or reduced turnover or repair cost.Pet rent, lawn care fees, and things that breakdown due to tenant usage are my go to items.Number of bedrooms, extra features are only a selling point.