@John MucilliLets be honest, its very rare that a potential seller calls from one postcard.

So, you could potentially use that to negotiate something better for yourself. 

Fundamentals change neighborhood to neighborhood (i.e. appreciation potential), inventory/absorption issues may exist, rogue city council members and/or registered community organizations can make neighborhoods less appealing with little oversight which impacts value and marketability.

I'd love to utilize their expertise when assessing a property since they are local but I'm not sure what the general expectation is when I don't have a tangible property and I have not entered into contract to work with them yet.Some questions I have are: local regulations/permitting timeline, property's potential from their perspective, landscaping/amenities cost estimate (they also help facilitate this).

Let me start by saying I'm not interested in discussing the merits of owning properties in an LLC vs your own name so let's not hijack the thread for that purpose :) What I'm trying to determine is whether or not there can be potential issues with homeowners insurance claims if they arise.

The most important question you ask an off-market potential seller is "Where are you going when I buy this house?"

Pretty much instead of you looking for someone to run your STR, it's a company looking for you because your property is in a vacation area, or they realize it has great potential as a STR.

Scranton and the surrounding areas definitely have potential, especially for affordable investments.

It is important to look for locations with strong economic growth, rising demand for housing, employment, vacation and infrastructure developments, as well as properties that offer the potential for value appreciation or steady cash flow.

2- Can I build a condo building potentially?