I have been seeing it with a lot of the recent posts from investors and I think to myself that is what a homeowner would pay if they called joe blows contracting and wanted the work done.

And I don't want to burn the deal, just being the devil's advocate here to make sure you covered your bases.Hope it works out!

Now, to play devil's advocate for a moment...I didn't know ANY of those things when I got started, and while I made some mistakes, it has all worked out.  

I am a big advocate of joining a team- some of the positives are:Training and support: A real estate team often provides training and support to new agents, helping them get up to speed with the industry and build their skills.

The operating company takes on all of the liability that would otherwise blow back on you including: paying property management, paying contractors, collecting rent, marketing, etc.5th pillar is owning everything anonymously.

Maybe get a boots on the ground (W2) job in the leasing office of an existing "subsidized housing" community of 200 or more and really get to know the ins and outs of this type of rental, as well as really get to know the rental population that uses these types of "Community Services".A couple of years in the trenches might be worth a lifetime of people trying to teach you about it.Learn unit pre-govt inspection--inspections, leasing, regulations, etc...Some areas make the owner replace burnt out bulbs for the renters, or the rent is held back for that unit.Ditto in some areas with standing water in the parking area (aka a puddle on the blacktop), or loose trash blowing around outside the units due to renter laziness, or overall unit cleanliness/un-cleanliness.It's good to know how to run one if you intend to own one.Must you include dryers in your plan, or will outdoor T shaped poles with rope on them be adequate.Things like that...Good Luck!

They can be an annoyance when used shoddily, or a boon when used masterfully.Go, grow, and blow their minds!

They recommended a can of compressed air to blow the dust out, and it has worked so far. 

Blows my mind that people pay for systems that are not needed or necessary…

Of your two choices - I would advocate paying off your primary residence.