I build my list from parcel viewer, then hire a skip trace 40$.

Readers should seek professional advice.

Also navigating town hall, we learned who calls the shots and who just thinks they do.Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

Should I just hire a tree service to clear a path and cut the dead tree?

Maybe even less for reasons I just touched on.I'll spare some of the moral and ethical opinions on this, but I do feel we as real estate professionals, investors, and landlords also have an obligation to help provide housing to everyone. 

There are certain agents that people sometimes hire to make the actual proposal to the board.

Regarding your second question, are you asking if those activities help meet the IRS material participation tests or qualify you as a real estate professional?

My question is: Is this house better off being rented long term for tenants or should I gravitate toward a midterm rental for possible traveling nurses or traveling professionals who want a cleaner, more up to date space, closer to downtown?

Obviously, legitimate wholesalers, who abide by our forum rules, use the messaging systems appropriately, and do not pretend to be investors when contacting professionals in our network, are welcome and encouraged to carry on.

And unless you have very deep pockets, you can't afford to be that much off....So as has been said....hire a very experienced General Contractor and have them give you a budget number based on your SOW, (plus they will find other things that need to be done that you will not have seen).On your succeeding projects, you do a budget yourseld first, then hire the GC and compare numbers.Then, eventually you will be comfortable going all solo...but it takes time.