Here's info on Huntsville:Now Alabama’s largest city, Huntsville’s military (Redstone Arsenal), space (NASA), telecommunications (ADTRAN, AT&T), biotechnology (Hudson Alpha), diversified manufacturing (Toyota/Mazda, Polaris) and a variety of emerging specialties provide challenging work (#5 Best Places for Career Opportunities) in delightful surroundings (#3 Best Places to Live in the US).

Since I live out of USA now for my job, I feel I am often taken advantages by our property PM companies with bigger maintenance bills, loose communications.

I don't rent to anyone living in my own home, but I have known people that do who set up cameras in their own off-limits spaces, deadbolts for doors, etc.

I would like to invest in real estate by doing something similar to a live in flip just to get the ball rolling with my real estate investing.

I lived in Saint Louis for a handful of years and grew up a couple of hours away.

I've decided that I want to manage it myself for at least a year to not only save costs but because the property is local to my next one, I've lived in it for over a year so I know the maintenance of the home, and I'm a PM for a home builder so I have all the handyman/tradesmen relationships that I can use for any repairs. 

I live in WV and I just purchased my first rental property - a duplex in Florida. 

you will sign an occupancy affidavit on the FHA loan that you will live there for 1 year. 

Ask your accountant to read Regs 1.469 and CCA Memo 202151005.You can have Nonpassive Schedule Es under certain circumstances but it appears he is listing it as passive, therefore creating suspended losses.Here is a previous thread: https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/530/topics/1056436-clearing-up-confusion-on-tax-treatment-of-short-term-rentals

. - so I guess I need to estimate what those would be - he is in his 70s and has uncles and aunts that lived until late 90s and one until 102 when no one did) and a comfortable retirement (he is extremely frugal so that's not an issue).