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Is it customary that they have their process displayed online or in a pricing guide so I can shop around?

You can also check their reviews online at Google, Facebook, or Yelp.

Is there any online services/tools where I can do the above DIY?

The way I do it is go to the property records for the county online find the owner's info and then Google search their phone number.

Anyway, I'm thinking maybe HF has more advantage for online bidding, as they could essentially create many virtual IDs and have a large pool of fund to leverage.

You can go to a local title company to run a quick title search for about $200 or you can do it yourself if your county records are online.

I'd recommend starting to network with local REIA and joining community groups or online forums related to real estate.

I got them to prepare the necessary OAs with my objectives in mind and file any required documents.

So, you'd want to go into it knowing you were going to: go all out to beat your competition, have a distinctive property, stand out online, and have your return compensate you for the headache of running a little hospitality business.Does that help?