The PMS around here are pretty terrible, I've worked with a lot of the larger ones in Cleveland and I think they just take on more properties than they can effectively handle and don't hire enough additional employees to make it work. 

Sounds like I can safely write them off only after I purchase the rental and start the renovations to ultimately rent it out.

Any thoughts/advice for small investors trying to get into larger properties?

Without accounting for management fees (I have not yet decided if I will try to self manage), and with planning to raise rents to typical market of $825 for each of the smaller units, and $1200 for the larger unit, does this seem like a worthy first investment? 

I've used those before for shot-term funding for renovations/rehabs in projects.

@Sakib KhanRecommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a property in Class D area to Class A standards, what quality of tenant will you get?

These loan types allow you to do up to 90% of the purchase price and 100% of the renovations financed as long as you meet experience, credit, and LTC/ LTARV requirements based on an appraisal or virtual inspection.

I've had them long enough to keep pushing up rents so that I am at the top of my niche, but know not to exceed it because I'm just about at the point where if I raised rents another $50-$100 I'd be crossing over into the lower end for larger units.

Im currently renovating the 1st fl apt and turned on the heat.

I purchased and renovated a house with a separate legal mother/daughter apartment that I am preparing to Airbnb here in Central NJ.