Tim Cook I am looking at a large conversion deal in my area.

We don't even contact our owners unless we have verified that there is a mold problem.Before contacting a lawyer I would want to gather all of the information from the PM - maintenance requests, lawyer info, photos, inspection report, conversations with the tenant, etc.

Conversely if I start building relationships with other investors who might have funds available (but not the time to look for deals), what value do I provide if I do not already have a ready stream of possible deals.

The funds are staying within the envelope of the LLC, not leaving the IRA.The provider who put your plan together should be able to assist with this type of conversation.

I have a friend 2 miles closer to the beach that has a 450 sqft studio garage conversion that is getting $1,600/mo and is getting blown up on Furnished Finder, even getting offered up to $2,000.

He stopped the conversation right away after hearing about the huge kickbacks they were asking.I don't like salesy emails.

You have commented a lot on this forum post for someone who is so frustrated with this conversation lol

If you ask the right questions and carry on a 'landlord to landlord' conversation you will get the information you need to decide whether they will be a good fit for you or not. 

I am a bit new to the real estate investing world and have been practicing underwriting deals.I am looking at value-add deals that may require significant construction (ADU's, garage conversions, etc).  

Through our conversations, he generously imparted his knowledge of the multifamily business, and upon expressing my keen interest, he extended an offer to mentor me should I decide to embark on my own journey in multifamily real estate.Despite my deep knowledge and passion for technology, I find the idea of establishing a new business that prioritizes reliability and sustainable growth over rapid expansion of user base and workforce particularly enticing.