Direct communication with the builder has been the most effective method in my experience.

On the other side, the bigger companies have more experience and their numbers tend to be more accurate (not always)... as they are big companies "their costumer service" and communication is better but at the same time they "have more mouths to feed" if we need to be honest so can get a bunch of ok or good deals but I kinda doubt they will be great (just my personal candid opinion).

Quote from @Roni Williams: Their communication is non existent.

However generally from working with 2-3 other PMs in the west coast, I am 100% fine paying more of a premium each month for a PM that is transparent and is able to give more time to communication.

Many lenders allow for low-down-payment options if the rental income covers the loan.You’re approaching this deal thoughtfully, but be sure to communicate the benefits of your offers clearly to overcome resistance from the seller's representative.

Working with a business partner highlighted the importance of clear communication and shared goals.

It may be that they are underwriting the property at a significantly different valuation than what you are using or that they feel that you or the deal is excessively risky.Great advice here, and a good HML will have an account rep or someone to communicate with you through the process so that you know. 

Mine was also out of state, in a town I’d never visited, and I relied heavily on videos from my agent.This sounds like a tough first deal, but it seems like you have some capital on the side, which will be useful as you face the upcoming challenges and learn from those expensive early mistakes.Regarding the subject of this post, “help me adjust my expectations,” I’d recommend assuming that; repairs will cost twice as much as you estimate, maintenance and vacancy rates will likely double from your initial projections, there’s a very real chance you may lose money on this deal.That said, there are ways to mitigate these risks by:- Keep asking questions here on BP and connecting with local experts- Stay proactive and communicative with your agent and property manager.And remember “Inspect what you expect.”Im not trying to discourage you but to help reset your expectations.

They are also very unresponsive, you'll get a lot of upfront communication while you're signing up for things and then they disappear. 

Assuming you already paid for the first occurrence, if it happens again and the plumber doesn't find anything wrong then, yes, the tenant should be responsible for the invoice.Your PM should be setting those expectations when they communicate with your tenant."