Does anyone have reputable recommendations for handymen or cleaning companies in the area?

Recommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a property in Class D area to Class A standards, what quality of tenant will you get?

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

My recommendation would be to take business classes at a technical college while working/ interning for a company in a field you are interested in.

.- I recommend avoiding condos. 

My recommendation is before chasing all these real estate deals is to go earn and save some money so when a good deal comes a long you can take action and move on it. 

I have never pulled a permit for a water heater swap, know no one that has ever pulled a permit for a water heater swap, ever seen or heard about one getting red tagged for no permit, and have never had a plumber recommend getting a permit.

I highly recommend the book real estate by the numbers.

Also, can anyone recommend a reliable company for this?

It also depends on how you hold your properties; LLC, S Corp etc... as to what the agent will recommend.