Vernon  not sure how popular Air BnB is there but I bet you could do well in those locations.. and maybe Pentiction

Your best bet is to sign up for your local REI groups and attend and network.

If you'd really rather just refi the property, your best bet is to find a traditional lender who doesn't require seasoning (which is typically 6 or 12 months) - not necessarily a hard money lender (which are often non-collateralized loans.)

The listing agent does NOT represent you as the buyer (they might be able to represent as a dual agent), and as a result does not need to keep anything confidential or provide you anything other than the facts of the property. 

Your best bet would probably be finding a GC in/around Memphis who would travel to Helena.

;) I bet the Bel-Air mansion is also in the name of a trust or LLC, and I bet it is in a different name than any other properties they may own ... rich and famous quickly learn how to become rich and anonymous, but the truly smart rich folks never seek out fame in the first place ...

Its one of those things that people consider a "safe bet", but we all know that can't be true since almost everyone thinks that way.

Your best bet for a mentor is anyone that you have done work for that has multi-family properties, or is a real estate investor.  

That being said, the purchase price is below $100 per square foot and I am betting the steady flow of increasing population to come to the Houston area as it has for the past several years.

That would be your best bet.