investment unit - LLC or personal?

makes sense for personal liability reasons... and creating an llc in ny is fairly easy - but not free - one time costs for a lawyer (c$750 but will vary) plus costs to publish (can run over $1000 dep on the county) and annual maintenance fee (c$325 in nyc)... have seen DIY guides on the internet so you can probably do this yourself for less... as you already own it, you should consider transfer cost and tax implications... good luck; hope you're relocating somewhere nice!

SMLLC to avail of Sch C as opposed to 1065 filer..

you need to see a CPA.. thye're more thorough than attorneys as they go beyond setup and look at payroll/maintenance/tax/liability implications.. attorneys are pump n dumpers in LLC formulation and will charge you for crap you can find online yourself (DIY kits)

CPA's (at least a good one) will advise you beyong articles of organization.

A good tax/business attorney would advise you as to the best entity for legal and tax reasons. They would also provide info on the the ancillary tax issues covered by a CPA. Although many do, a CPA (at least a good one) should not be giving legal advice on liability or any other legal issue.