I am trying to hire a licensed REA for my LLC to perform occasional open houses and move-in/move-out inspections since I am out-of state from my rental property.I have the REA identified, now I just need to know the steps to creating a contract for them and me to sign.

Those occasional lunch/coffee sessions probably won't be enough unless some experienced investor is willing to be harassed by me every single week.

Long-Term Rental Rules: Even though my properties are long-term rentals, are there any tax benefits I might be missing if I occasionally rent them short-term?

I do the occasional Big Island deal - either side.

My target tenants are travel nurses and other traveling professionals with the occasional vacationer.I’m curious to know if any of you had success in the area and what have been your keys to success and downfalls.

Nice try, but this time does not count.In order to meet 750 hours, your wife will need one of the below:- do something else real estate related, like wholesaling or realtor- actively work on expanding your rental portfolio - have an extensive DIY rehab, like a month-long full-time rehab (and then she might need another kind of rehab)- a calamity such as multiple properties damaged in a storm where she will have to deal with insurers and contractors- something else out of the ordinaryAgain - if all you have is 9 single-family properties with stable tenants and typical occasional maintenance - you don't have enough work to collect 750 hours.

The laws mostly protect me the lender and I have always gotten paid even if there are occasional borrower problems.

I watched a Brigg’s YouTube video on best places to retire and Carson City was #2.I was thinking more of drive up occasionally during the summer place unless Vegas gets much worse. 

A way around the whole issue is something we occasionally consider.  

Prices a few years ago were based on expectations of (in addition to interest rates staying low): - Then current operating cost assumptions (like insurance cost expectations being flat)- A seeming disregard for record levels of new inventory / supply hitting the market- Extremely high inbound migration expectations which are likely to not be met, due to both natural disasters and the boomerang effect when people from California or the Northeast move to the American South and hate every minute of the humidity, the large and relentless swarm of insects, and the occasional hurricane.