After some bad experiences I have learnt not to rely on testimonials to make decisions. 

Are there other players in this field that I should be aware of and consider talking to before making a final decision?

I know he will be able to give you the proper guidance that you need in order to make a sound decision.

It happens but you deserve to know why so you can make an informed decision if you want to invest again.

In conclusion: because Kiavi does not know or does not care about Taylor’s chronic ineptitude; because Kiavi has never bothered to put together an introductory email document to clients explaining the steps, requirements and responsibilities of the refinancing process; and because Kiavi does not bother to fix an obviously broken client portal website, it’s clear that the company does not strongly value customer experience and satisfaction.

While this insight is valuable, it’s important to remember that thorough analysis is always crucial before making any final decisions. 

We hope to eventually have multiple properties, but want to take our time to learn and make the right decisions with our first rental.

I'm thankful that I made a decision to self manage. even at a  distance I think it helps you avoid a lot of headaches

As Peter and others have stated you need to get a few different opinions are the work needed, costs, etc before making a decision on how best to proceed 

Quote from @Todd Anderson: @Benjamin Ying,First off Congrats at making the decision to get started into REI and getting involved with BP.