Any recommendations of a good realtor who understands the needs of an out-of-state investor who works the Lorain area of OH would greatly be appreciated.

The goal of a HELOC is a quick line of credit to either refinance or sell and pay back the HELOC as soon as possible.PS - I would recommend taking a look into the Columbus Ohio market, there's tons of 1% rule deals still within the 120-180k price point with amazing appreciation potential.

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

A good real estate accountant can save you thousands of dollars by leveraging entity selection and formation, tax deductions, cost segregations, bonus depreciation and tax planning.I recommend finding an accountant who specializes in real estate taxation, business taxation, financial planning and tax planning.You may want to consider working with your accountant remotely to expand your options.I would also recommend looking for a accountant willing to work with you throughout the year.

Recommend you have a great understanding of the answers to these questions before thinking about a lawsuit.You'll also want to use these questions as discussion points with any new PMC you interview.If you post the address, everyone here will be able to give you more feedback about the quality of the listing and perhaps more insights.

I’d recommend starting slow with one 2-4 unit using leverage and see if you even like being a landlord.

Or recommend any builders?

Any recommendation for a good home warranty for a multifamily rental

If you would like a few references to property management companies within the city that are local I have a few recommendations. 

BiggerPockets also has a calculator to analyze deals, and I highly recommend you start this as soon as possible, even if you are not ready to buy.