Thanks @Josh Lewer for pointing out the OR-24 form as thats what prompted us into looking further into this option.This is great news for us and thanks again for everyone's feedback!

 @Theodor Chung For REP purposes, drive time can count toward your hours if driving from home to your “main office/principal place of business, but only if it’s directly related to your real estate activities.For example:Driving to a rental property for management, repairs, showings, or inspections does count.It’s important to log the time and purpose of each trip so you have records if the IRS ever questions your REP status....This post does not create a CPA-client relationship.

They told you up front who would be staying there, you approved them and they proactively told you about damage and are paying for the repairs? 

It’s definitely a balancing act — owners want to protect their investment, but holding too tightly to outdated assumptions (like 2021 rent levels or tenant demand) can end up costing more in the long run.I’ve found the best approach is setting clear expectations upfront with a manager: define thresholds where the manager can act without approval (like minor repairs or small rent adjustments) and bigger decisions that require owner sign-off.

These things have quietly saved me more than any fancy app or spreadsheet ever did.the cheapest repair is the one you preventA small drip turns into a nightmare fast.Once, I ignored a slow leak in the basement because it “didn’t look serious.”

Given your background in business and repair work, you already possess valuable skills such as attention to detail, problem-solving, and client relations, which are highly transferable to real estate.To begin, consider enrolling in real estate courses or seeking out a mentor in the field to gain insights and guidance.

So while you might only do a $500 repair out of pocket they’ll tell you they can get the insurance company to pay $5,000 for a new roof.

Another example would be that we have an internal price catalogue for common repairs/replacements that crosses from PM maintenance and fix/flips.

I initially planned for $60k in repairs and it ended being $80kLessons learned?

When I hear an inexperienced / unknowledgeable “newbie” espousing the “deals” he’s going to earn $100k on “flipping” or “wholesaling” (while they’re listed on MLS) I ask them exactly what “added value” they intend to bring to the transaction that would prompt a buyer to pay $100k over list price or a seller sell for $100k under market - and NOBODY I’ve asked has a clue…..