This immediately struck me as odd as I wasn't aware of any form of compensation to the PM for any maintenance related activities, just 8% of gross rent and 1-month of rent to lease the property, per our contract.Naturally I wanted to understand the nature of this arrangement, specifically how much mark-up is being charged, so I referenced a specific sewer repair bill from 2015 that was $2,600 and asked him if he could provide the vendor invoice so I could understand how much the vendor charged and how much revenue the PM recognized.  

Read your laws in your specific state because they vary drastically, but in Texas you just need a real estate license and have a sponsoring broker.

I don't have it specifically in the lease, but I am thinking  for the next lease renewal or when she moves out and I would have it in the lease for the next tenant. 

Specifically, I would love to hear about:1.First Steps: What are the most critical first steps I should take to get started in real estate investing?

The building doesn't work for what we are planning and we have too much on our plate to try and take this on right on.

It’s a sole proprietorship.Wewe want to use her condo as a rentalFor tax purposes we plan to file separate every year because of her high student loans. 

It all comes down to the lender - you'll need to talk with the lender you plan to use. 

Hi Victor, I don't have experience with them specifically, but I work for a company that is similar.

Thank you @Benjamin Aaker this was the original plan I wanted to do that way I stay out of trouble.

Specifically the course Brent Daniels offers named TTP (talk to people).