I'd like to get feedback from your experiences with online and/or local options.

I always let my clients know to do their homework and search online and interview different PM companies.

Look for the topics that catch your eye in the forums, when you think of a few you're interested in, hit the "follow" button to keep up to date on what is going on in those specific forums. - quick tutorial here  2.

Mississippi is a non disclosure state, so the online tools like zillow and realtor.com have a difficult time with valuing it. 

Contact your county tax assessor's office to learn how to find this information (it's usually online and easy).Talk to the neighbors.There are paid apps that may include contact information for specific properties.

@Ian M.For the owners hiding behind the bare trust agreements, you can pull up their names by doing an online search for "David Baines: Real estate investors settle class-action lawsuit" Mr Baines before he retired was a business columnist for the largest newspaper in British Columbia, the Vancouver Sun.In this article you can see the payment the defendants (who I am talking about) had to pay out to the plaintiffs.

Then, two weeks ago, I received another letter regarding the same violations, this time with an official notice and a court hearing date in Lorain.

Every city is different, PLEASE get yourself to a RE meeting, and do NOT try and do all this from books and sitting online, it will not end well. 

You can do some sourcing yourself through Facebook groups, and online RE communities , and even pick up the phone and cold call some homeowners that may be tired landlords, don't owe anything, and have built up some equity.With enough volume, you should come across some solid deals.  

You can find templates for joint venture agreements on BiggerPockets or other real estate investment websites.Next, consider joining local real estate meetups or online groups where you can network with other investors.