Networking with local real estate groups or online forums could help you find recommendations for PM companies that have a proven track record in Birmingham 

Behind referral on on-line sources like Next door, Google review, FB marketplace, etc.  

Oregon saw it that way as well.. many folks got cease and desist using guru on line training techniques this just formalizes the activity and levels the playing field and gives both buyers and sellers a mechanism to get out of deals and or have a regulator step in..

JohnFirst look at your states licensing laws, they can easily be found online.

You can also use online resources such as City Data to search demographics in the area. 

when I used a capital gains calculator online, if I put zero money down and put the 2 loans, the cap gains is a lot lower than if I just recorded 1 loan and entered the money from the downpayment loan under cash.

It sounds like a good opportunity and I want to pull the trigger but I wanted to get some reviews since the program is a high ticket of $15K I couldn't find much online about this program or Brian Grimes. 

My best contractors over thirty years of flipping were always people I met through networking or other investors or trial and error, never online.

One tip is to start looking into meetups to connect with investors / others in the REI game (in person/online).

The online tools are a good way to get a ballpark number and can sometimes be close to accurate, but a PM is able to tell you a more accurate amount.