Qualifying as real estate professional (meeting IRS definition)

[Sudhir N.]

I presently invest in multi family properties in PA. I look for properties, buy and hand over to a property manager for day to day management. I spend considerable amount of time setting rents for new leases, renewals, reviewing and approving maintenance requests, paying monthly and annual bills for each one of those properties. I spend substantial amount of time looking for and identifying properties to buy. I don't have a full time job. Under these circumstances do I do enough to qualify as real estate professional? I am reading that "looking for properties to buy" is not essentially a qualifying task. If I exclude that activity, I don't do enough to meet the 750 hours per year threshold. Please opine.