I am in the process of getting my contractors license, and i could have it in a matter of months.

@Jamie Dupont I run a local meet up here in Rochester-might be a good idea to come and learn strategies on how to find better tenants and contractors.

It seems like you enjoy being active and using your hands so maybe the BRRRR method (buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat) is your best bet as you could save some money and do plenty on your own, you could also do a live in flip potentially and sell it or rent it out later.

I need a contractor to rehab 11 units in Cincinnati.

My main questions:Should I hire a general contractor to manage the entire renovation, or would it be better to hire specialized contractors for each part of the project (flooring, paint, HVAC, etc.)?

There are definitely pros and cons to all situations, you would just need decide what is best for you.Would listing it as a mid-term (traveling nurses, doctors, business professionals, contractors, etc) or a short term rental be an option? 

Get your own boots on the ground, meet the people you will rely on aka the cleaners two handmen, meps(mechanical, electrical, plumbing) contractors.

Kyle Get contractors out there to bid the job...

Examples of pitfalls include purchasing in an undesirable area, not understanding the market values (vs. list prices), not knowing the rental values (current and market), inheriting bad tenants, buying a lemon, going rogue on renting and management with no contacts / systems / no legal understanding of PA and Municipal landlord-tenant laws, not having trusted resources and contractors in place, using out of state lenders or shaky financing, throwing lipstick on a pig when renovating a house and wondering why it's ARV isn't increasing, tenants are renting, etc.

It is what many contractors ballpark their estimates.