How did you find this deal and how did you negotiate it?

But even with less than 10% of our bookings there coming from VRBO, by far our 3 worst guests were from VRBO.I find it interesting that some people say the customer service is better on VRBO. 

I had trouble finding a bank that would do two dwellings and ended up with a loan requiring 25% down and a few upfront points with 7.5-8% interest rate depending on lock in day.

@Johnathon Thompson you need to build a trustworthy local team, which is NOT as easy you everyone thinks.As soon as many PMC's, agents, contractors, etc. hear an owner is OOS, they take the path of least resistance (at best) or look to scam the owner.So, an owner must ask a LOT of questions and do their due diligence and even if they find someone, apply "trust, but verify":)

I find shaker cabinets difficult to clean no matter what the colour.

I'm finding that a lot of real estate agencies also own rental properties/invest their own money.

Depending on your area you might find a nice selection on Turno that you can rotate through. 

On the other hand, unless the seller is financing it, you are almost certainly not going to get 100% financing, so you'll need the down payment plus reserves for working capital and capex.I'd then look to find an experienced apartment owner, ideally one in your area, who can look over your proforma assumptions to make sure you haven't forgotten anything big. 

Also, what is a good resource to find reliable property managers?

I still was waiting for the revised QCD to be signed by buyer and I received message saying this transaction was closed.Lessons Learned-  Paperstac is it great place to find notes of all shapes and sizes.