If the owner doesn't get out there and check on it, I can see that the PM company won't do anything other than randomly send unqualified maintenance men to respond to issues; many times only putting a bandaid on it.

It wasn’t a random decision though.

Owning property + No LLC + some random dude cutting across the lawn and breaking a leg = a crap ton of PERSONAL LIABILITY.

But I would not go to just a random person who happens to be free when you walk in.

I definitely don't suggest buying any random property you find from the MLS or Zillow or any of those, even if an agent goes and looks at it for you.

Don't forget property management costs, tenant missing rent payments, potential tax assessment increases, random bad weather leaks and repairs, the list goes on. 

New to this website so I'll throw out my random newbie 2 cents and contribute.

@Jordan Budke You are better off in San Diego and your capital invested would be less in san diego than some other random market and your overall returns will likely be higher in the long term here...Very cheap markets are cheap for a reason.  

Just a few random thoughts.

You're not going to be able to transfer the car loan to some random LLC you made up just last week and have it removed from your credit report.But, ya, in theory it would work aside from that whole "it's probably impossible" thing.