I actually like the suggestion you gave for the second home, I just don't know how I would swing it since we're targeting it as an add the the investment holding company as opposed to a solo purchase for myself. 

Sometimes it can work but this is not one of those times.Ask yourself first who is the target market?  

It depends on who you're targeting as a tenant for your property.

Maybe MTR will be a better target.  

I had a few appraisals come back from Akron/Clv markets and had the appraiser comment that it is a "down market".If you are targeting the 50k purchases with the 20k rehab and then hopping to refi out afterward you are taking a gamble because if you do not get the 100k value after the rehab you can get stuck in the project or be forced to take a mortgage with a terrible rate.Keep your purchases 80k and up and try to make sure your project costs are over 100k on everything so you can be pretty confident that you'll get the 100k value afterward.

Other avenues to find contractors include: reviewing the neighborhood for signs of contractors already working in the neighborhoods that you are targeting, asking the town/borough for contractors that pull lots of permits (aka get hired a lot) in your area, as well as inquiring withe local Home Depot/Lowes early in the morning and seeing who is active.

If you're targeting those tenants only you might want to only market to Section 8 channels.

Targeting, impressions, reach have been successful with Cost Per Results.

What price escalation and time frame hits your personal financial targets?

You can target specific zip codes, types of owners, what cars they drive, and SO much more.