A strong program includes quick responses to needs, regular check-ins for feedback, financial incentives, advance notice & explanation of rent increases, & thoughtful touches like seasonal gifts or newsletters.As any landlord veteran will tell you, if your unit is priced reasonably getting applicants is easy, its finding QUALIFIED tenants that is challenging.Best to you in your PM search!

They are truly an unbeatable gift to real estate investors. 

Did you use gradual gifting, installment sales, or another strategy to transfer ownership over time?

Basically a gift from him.

I often gifted those photos to the host as a thank-you.

P.S. realizing that at some point down the road, I've got more depreciation recapture (potentially higher tax rate) to deal with, but there are options to 1031 or even gifting the property to a worthy cause at some point. 

If no consideration is given, the IRS could treat it as a gift, though in practice it is generally treated as a sale since you control the corporation.Once transferred, the corporation’s basis becomes FMV, and when sold, the gain is taxed at the flat 21% corporate rate under IRC §11 (e.g., $200K sale – $150K basis = $50K gain → $10,500 tax).If the corporation distributes profits, you face double taxation: first the 21% corporate tax, then shareholder-level tax on dividends at 0%, 15%, or 20% plus 3.8% NIIT.

This property will serve as: Our first house hack/ homeA wedding gift for my (future wife)A long-term investment  Our Goal  Buy a move-in-ready duplex — avoiding heavy fixer-uppers.Live in one unit and rent out the other to lower our housing costs.Focus on safe, rental-friendly neighborhoods with strong appreciation potential.Live for cheap (not necessarily free) by renting the other unit to offset the mortgage.I plan to live in duplex for at least five years or even more, and during that time, I also want to purchase additional properties to build my portfolio.

You could use proceeds to buy a boat (that would be foolish but permissible), or you could use proceeds to buy an investment property directly in your name or the name of the LLC, or (if you feel generous) you could gift $50,000 to me.

It was done with a conventional loan, and the lender considered the discount or 'gifted equity' as the down payment.