How do you know that a contractor is any good?

Good luck. 

it’s good to know from you as an accountant that you like Relay better. 

Welcome to BP, sounds like you have a good gameplan!

I talk with a lot of flippers in this market and with the scarcity of good deals may are looking at new construction. 

This is definitely a good place to start and to network with people in the market you are looking to invest in.  

Quote from @Don Bessette: I have a 30 plus year tenant that can not keep up with maintaining their unit, it is filthy inside and in desperate need of renovation, all systems are in good repair and I respond very quickly when issues are brought to my attention.It is also well below market rent, and they struggle to pay the current rate.Looking for suggestions on how to gently proceed with the notification to move. 

Good luck. 

Its just hard to be good when they're chasing margin and keeping OH costs and personnel costs low.

Appraised at around $2m with a mortgage balance of $1m, so a good amount of equity doing very little for us. - We don't have a HELOC on it. - We run our own architecture firm and are exploring ways to access some of the equity we've built up to reinvest in another project without refinancing and losing our 3.25% rate, if that is even possible?