I dont know your actual address but if in Austin then technically yes you would need to get a permit.

In NJ, "30-days" is technically not the standard.

What I often see being a mistake is people ordering a cost segregation study before speaking with their accountant to see if it would benefit them on their return.What a cost segregation study does is analyze a property further to identify assets that be classified with a shorter asset life than 27.5 or 39 years.The issue when getting an 'estimate' from a cost segregation study company is that they are not accountants(more specifically not your accountant).

I've been deliberating over the same issue (long-term rentals vs. medium-term rentals) and am inclined to invest the extra effort to manage a medium-term rental, given the appealing additional cash flow it promises.

One of the tenants has been causing issues with other tenants.

My house is on a corner with an empty lot next door, so it was not an issue for me.

The best part about Reno / Tahoe Nevada are it's landlord friendly, Real estate taxes don’t reassess on the sale, insurance is low and we continue to have increased in migration, jobs (no state income tax) and our own land constraint issues which prevent the market from getting overbuilt. 

We've had issues with Mario and his various business ventures. 

If I cashout refi one property , that would resolve my debt issues, but I'm torn.

Technically, they are your employer, but they vary greatly in the amount of control they exert over you.