Keep the same routine.

Expenses, averaged $15,000 per year, ($435,000 total) including routine maintenance and improvements.

I have heard others say tile flooring because it lasts forever, but I hardly ever hear anyone talk about cleaning and sealing grout as a routine expense.

If you're going the umbrella insurance route, make sure it will cover you for several things including just the routine slip and fall (like mold or earthquake).

10% is probably a little steep, and like John said, a flat fee may be more reasonable.Setting up a proper STR is not cheap, but once you are set up properly, you deal with routine breakage.I recommend managing yourself and saving the 20% personally, getting a rockstar cleaning team and a reliable handy person, using something like Hospitable that can help automate messaging when listing, and reading the book from the bookstore here called Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth.

If it not easy you should consider a career change.Lastly stop your daily routines. have lunch at different places, get gas at different gas stations, different stores, different everything.

Mix up your routine so you're not at the same place daily. 

New guy has kept up the “return to sender” routine but... apparently the rent was late cuz we got a shop-a-holic.

I routinely review tile installation products that are sent to me for free by Home Depot vendors.

Being newbies, we didn't realize that homes of a certain age most likely have clay pipes and would need a sewage line inspection added on to the routine home inspection. $8,000 later.... we will never forget this lesson.