They are in a different category than the legacy, bigger players like Buildium, AppFolio, etc in that they a design-driving team focused on usability around core features smaller landlords need most: automated rent collection, tenant screening, and electronic rental applications.

Without question, a high yield mutual fund, CD, dividend stock or whatever could be pulling in awesome cash flow off 200k without you doing anything.

-Secured credit line against a CD that you have with a bank: This gives the bank the security of collateral but also still provides you the ability to list some non-RE assets on your personal financials.

There are a lot of shady players in this industry, and with the market tightening up, I only anticipate the shadiness to become more prevalent.

I also do the exterior, to document screens, siding, porch railings, steps, yard, etc.I also document things that are wrong: that either means they get fixed or that those things are existing & not to be deducted from the security deposit.The photos are available to the tenant at move-in on a CD or flash drive (we also do the required walk-through); I also encourage them to take their own.Any damage is similarly documented at move-out, plus there's a walk-through with the tenant.Yes, it takes extra time.

@Ned Carey unfortunately it's definitely not a mistake, par for the course if you're not in a C-/D Syracuse neighborhood/Suburb.

Overall Culture and Personality Fit - Are they a positive but realistic team player and on time to the meetings?

I'm sure we'll see more shifting after Aug 1.Major players in the STR property management sphere have begun shutting their doors or shifting their business model away from STRs. 

@Samantha Goetz where would you consider that the A/B neighborhoods meet with the C/D neighborhoods? 

When I chose Cleveland as my market, I had no clue that there was a West and a East side and within the West side, what was truly a B class neighborhood vs a C, D and even F.