They help with repairs and vendor sourcing and have resident support agents.   

HI StuartThanks for the detailed reply.Part of the research process for me is posting in the forums and hearing a variety of responses, since many times online sources are just promotion of services that solve a problem related to the search term.

They scout all sources and hope to reach a seller who have not added 5% to cover the commission.

See the chart from Fair Isaac Company (FICO) below: FICO Score Pct of Population Default Probability 800 or more 13.00% 1.00% 750-799 27.00% 1.00% 700-749 18.00% 4.40% 650-699 15.00% 8.90% 600-649 12.00% 15.80% 550-599 8.00% 22.50% 500-549 5.00% 28.40% Less than 499 2.00% 41.00% Source: Fair Isaac CompanyAccording to this chart, investors should use corresponding vacancy+tenant-nonperformance factors of approximately 5% for Class A rentals, 10% for Class B and 20% for Class C.To address Class C payment challenges, many industry "experts" are now selling programs to newbie investors about how Section 8 tenants are the cure.

Loan to value and reliable source of payments is what matters.

When sourcing general contractors (GCs) for a cosmetic flip, I recommend focusing on referrals and networking within investor communities first.

Some cliff notes:REP status requires 750 hours in real estate activities, and then after you hit that, the test is materially participating in your rental activities.If it is a short term rental with less than a 7 day rental period, if you materially participate, which could include at least 100 hours and that is more than anyone else, then yes possibly can use the bonus depreciation against other sources of non-passive income. 

I've made hundreds of friends and sourced more clients than you can imagine from doing one thing - adding value in the forums.I never once said I was an agent or where to find me.

As a dedicated real estate wholesaler, I source off-market properties perfect for fix-and-flip investments in high-demand areas.

Some areas may have restrictions that could complicate things, particularly around who can provide alcohol and to whom.If wine isn't an option, you could consider alternatives that are still local and personal, like a handcrafted bottle of olive oil from a local farm or even a basket of locally sourced snacks.