But a less competent one can kill a deal in some cases due to lack of speed, communication, or competence. 

You should have access to SECURE (HEPA issues) and often quick communication means such as fiber to your building.

4) Does the pricing include communications with the accountant throughout the year?

You can get a decent sense about who they are by how they communicate (or don't communicate). 

All forms of communication can be electronic and you never have to meet in person...even if you are self managing...My tenants are trained and empowered to problem check and resolve issues on their own...if they can't figure it out, it's their home and they can call a professional to fix it and cc me via text.

Looking for Investor friendly, reliable, take ownership and easy to communicate with.  

By saying that, you're just communicating that you're not a waste of time since you know upfront that 5% on a 30YF isn't going to happen.

The marketing team wasn’t the best at communicating and wasn’t the best at listening.

In my opinion, the Founder’s Letter written by Jonathan expressed values of: (1) Open Communication, (2) Actively Engaged Management, (3) Care for Each ClientAlthough RDU was stellar in getting me off the ground in my first real estate venture, about halfway into our relationship, I noticed that action on core values expressed in the Founder’s Letter began to wane.Most recent, after Hurricane Florence, I received a text message from Jonathan saying, “Your properties faired well during the storm”.

You will see a big majority of your deals coming from 4th and 5th communication with the seller.Best wishes,Sharad