(actually exterior first, also lawn, landscaping) You can pay for the materials using money from your HELOC.

Could an inspector look at the house at that point and certify that there are no asbestos materials inside?

The only quick number there might be is doubling the cost of materials to add in labor, but that's not guaranteed - some jobs have few materials and a lot of labor and others are opposite. 

A few important things I would be looking for:1) the experience and credentials of the broker who supervises the company as well as the lead property manager2) the services they offer and how they line up with your needs and expectations3) the use of technology to make their job and yours easier 4) if they have a landlord-tenant attorney on retainer to help guide them on legal issues (not to mention the creation of lease agreement, landlord forms and notices, etc.)5) their process and policy for a) listing, b) application, c) tenant selection, d) routine inspections, e) maintenance services, f) property and tenancy update reports to you, g) lease enforcement policy, and f) move-out process.6) property owner reviews (you can't always rely on Google reviews, because they may not reflect actual quality of the company, but still) 7) beneficial programs for both owner and tenant 8) a property management agreement that would indicate they know what they're doing and have the experience to know what matters in a PMA.

If you were to partner with another more experienced investor to purchase a short term rental, do a cost segregation, and "materially participate" then you could gain the benefits you are looking for without negatively cash flowing, and you could work out a deal where you maybe only have to materially participate for the first year to claim your tax benefits and then you can act as a more passive investor.

@Chris Seveney  I saw your answer to this question and was wondering how you manage the LLC, do your retain your LLC mortgage, and have the tenants pay as they always did to the LLC or did you have all payments to the trust and new accounts with the trust on them.

Regular maintenance, upgrades, and amenities improvements can help retain tenants and attract new ones.

Let’s connect and potentially be future partners.So much material to cover.

Your mortgage payments may be fixed, but your taxes and utilities will increase, your maintenance material costs and labor rates for repairs have gone up, and your property is wearing out (appliances, flooring, water heaters, furnaces, roof, etc. all have a lifespan and will eventually need replaced). 

You may want to read materials about "networking for a job":)