Remote rehab for someone with no experience is about as risky as it comes.MI  will take good care of you.. better to get REAL returns than paper returns that never pan out.or jump into a long distance rehab only to have the contractor walk off with your  money and materials or both.once you get some experience you may want to choose that path.or there are companies that will do the BRRR but very few and you have to pick the right one .. 

I've scoured the internet for workarounds or even a simple explanation of the intent of the code and haven't had much luck.

@Jessica WoodIf it's a standard ten-buck doorknob made by Defiant or Kwikset or Schlage or pretty much any other major American manufacturer, there's a very simple solution if you ever really do need entry, if there ever really IS an emergency.

My biggest expenses are toilet paper and soap. 

That's the simple version of it.

Execution of a quitclaim deed is relatively simple, and requires little more than both parties signing the deed and, if required in the state where it is executed, having the deed notarized, acknowledged before a notary or with a jurat signed before a notary.

Chasing down 15 rent checks and filing eviction papers .

In addition to those resources, I have about 85k in paper assets/cash that I'm wanting to deploy.  

Please click on the links, give them a read, and share your thoughts in the comments.First is a post that I feel will help not get overwhelmed with the amount of info that is here on BP:https://www.biggerpockets.com/blogs/5868/52761-the-simple-guide-to-getting-started-on-bp The second is a post that will help get you focused with your real estate investing goals:https://www.biggerpockets.com/blogs/5868/52743-im-new-to-bp-any-advice-would-be-appriciatedThe last one is a post that will help you choose an “investor friendly” real estate agent.

In your market I’d say invest in paper assets  not real estate .