(We have a specific person dedicated to ordering the appraisals in our office to speed up the process) and the payment request is sent to you.

It might also reduce your speed and flexibility.  

The middle areas will have the highest number of interested buyers or tenants, and you can move properties the fastest.  

Wow, but at the same time NC and SC pretty easy states.SC fastest is 21 days NC 30 days then if they leave stuff behind think it also 30 days to store their belonging.

What are the pros/cons and speed of approval for each of these processes?

If you are currently in a position that you feel you can do a quick fix and flip, reduce your communication barrier (client), enhance your speed and efficiency, you will have no burden of "mutual decision making," as you are very well aware, if you are the sole point of contact and decision maker, the project goes much quicker.

Easier to leverage up after the fact than to leverage down if you don't hit your projected numbers and run into some speed bumps (or a brick wall) as is apt to happen out of state.

Get on speed dial w/ a handyman & get it all done @ once.  

Getting up to speed now though.

Explained that one way was fast and the other slow, and sometimes the speed would spark a desire to sell at a low price.