., my closing date is Nov 14, so, there's a bit of time to make this decision.

My issues are simple: a huge lack of communication and timely responses to my inquiries... whether via emails or voicemails.

If it isnt then hire someone to run your investments for you (think an employee or a property manager) and keep on trucking.  

After informing the other lenders that I had made a decision not to go with them, they came back with additional information.

One caveat I would tell you is that if you are not looking to do this on a bigger scale, and adding one deal maybe every couple years with no true passion for managing it along with working full time I would hand it off. 

If your goal is house hacking, I'd recommend solely focusing your time on 2-4 unit properties that will reduce your living expenses and cash flow upon moving out.Get good at analyzing deals and utilize the existing network you have.

We tell our bookkeeping clients not to scale chaos (I say "cancer") all the time. 

@Sam Gleadle have been a paid, expert witness a few times in lawsuits against other PMCs in our area and unfortunately, the owner NEVER gets much of value out of the cases:(You'll need a copy of your management contract to show any attorney and that contract better be VERY specific.Othwerwise, you'll just be wasting your time and money.

We've considered self managing and trying to find a reliable handyman who can handle much of the ad hoc stuff that comes up but we've even had a hard time finding anyone who checks that box too (and it wouldn't necessarily help with serving notices / showing the place when vacant / etc).

The IRS wants to see that you’re actively directing and managing the business — things like approving budgets, coordinating repairs, analyzing performance, and making operational decisions — not just reviewing reports or responding to occasional updates.So while it’s not impossible, it’s rarely achievable unless you’re very hands-on, even from a distance, and have solid time logs to back it up.If you’re interested, I can share a free REPS tracker that helps you record and organize your hours.