Regarding your tangent question, I'm a patent attorney and work in an Intellectual Property firm with 12 other patent attorneys.The properties I'm thinking of investing in are newly built near a large metro area and would generate a neutral or even slightly positive cash flow even before taxes (i.e., before writing off interest, prop. taxes and considering depreciation).

I have used State Farm in the past and was happy.An insurance company that is going to offer you umbrella insurance may require you to have your other policies with the same firm.

I would give him power of attorney to go look.Conversely, you could contact a CPA firm and authorize them to do an audit of the books make sure they have a copy of the management contract.If the management company does not comply with these "inspection requests, then I would terminate them immediately, if your contract allows for it.Then, I would contact an AMO firm, through the institute of Real Estate Management, or another firm recommended by someone you trust, to take over management duties until you return.The events you describe seem to point at a company that may have numerous problems, including proper and effective communication.

, and now all my Facebook ads are about how to market and sell my legal services to more clients for my law firm (which doesn't exist).

@Bill Gulley  and yet another attorney firm gets rich and the investor just sink more money into a dark hole..  

There are such attorneys that exist, but you're looking at a rather large firm that will charge you for the convenience of a one-stop-shop.

When I relocated again I had to think long and hard whether I would go back to teaching and decided instead of my original plan of teaching and being an agent part-time that I would put both feet firmly in real estate.

Hey again Dave I was'nt sure if  I could 1031 each lot so I hired a big big time CPA firm to look into it, they came back and said that there was no case law in Montana to either confirm or deny the legality of it.

More importantly, if you work with a quality firm to establish and support the program, you will have access to guidance regarding IRS rules and how they interact with your real estate transactions.  

I was polite, but firm.