Having said that, I could write an entire book on each of them individually.I really just scraped the surface but I believe both of them to be very good solutions, depending on the specific situation, so I do think quite a bit of your decision will result from the facts of your situation. 

If anybody has an interest in sharing tips with a newbie and future real estate investor, I'd very much appreciate a conversation.  

And once you agree to what is going to happen get it in writing. 

Do you know what states USAA writes STR policies for?

In that scenario, activities like direct tenant communications, dealing with turnovers, coordinating with attorneys, contractors, and vendors feel like they should fall under the “material participation” bucket, since the investor is actively running the portfolio.That’s also what I meant when I asked which platforms/tools most RE investors use to spend the bulk of their time managing these day-to-day activities — since those hours are what typically count toward eligible material participation.Your context on how the IRS distinguishes between investor-type vs. operational activities is super valuable — thanks again for laying it out so clearly.

Are you taking full advantage of the write-offs available, such as interest, property taxes, insurance, repairs/maintenance, etc.?

To me, the primary consideration is, where would you like to live for the foreseeable future.

Currently re sidding and adding value to the home.

I'm not really talking about cosmetic things to up the rent and value but more things would be more behind the scenes that could fail and hurt me in the future on a older house?

Same goes for furnaces and water heaters—create a small common mechanical room for future code compliance.5.