Hi Steven,It sounds like you and your wife, Renee, have a wealth of experience in the real estate and construction fields, which is a great foundation for starting your real estate investing business.Given your background in residential remodeling and home inspections, and Renee's experience as a real estate agent, you're off to a strong start.

Here are some indicators to help you assess a buyer's seriousness:Questions: Serious buyers will ask detailed questions about the property, such as maintenance costs, neighborhood amenities, and property taxesStrong Offer: If a buyer makes a strong offer quickly, it often indicates a high level of interest and intent to purchasePrivate Buyers: If approached by a private buyer, ensure they provide a Letter of Intent (LOI) and proof of funds.  

If your property management company is good and has built an internal maintenance team which has set rates and had strong relationship relationships with licensed contractor which should keep costs in control, you should never need to shop contractors on your own I wouldn't think.So in short, our policy is give us your preferred contractors upfront if you have them, but then we work all tickets to resolution including dispatch, and payment of invoices.This is of course for operational expenses.  

Just make sure the appreciation rate is strong where you buy. 

Still going strong. 

I have access to contractors, lenders, and have a very strong balance sheet, so just need to find the right deal and get access to comps.

Have some initial conversations to see who’s responsive, knowledgeable, and investor-friendly.Once you find a good fit, you can focus on building a strong relationship with that one realtor.

Like you said, it was a strong seller's market then with steep appreciation, multiple offers, way over-asking price offers, escalating clauses, appraisal gap coverage, buyers waiving all contingencies, etc.

If you’re set on a duplex with minimal rehab, an investor focused agent should have a strong network of contractors who can give you quick quotes, so you don’t wind up with any pricey surprises.

If you’re set on condos, ensure you’re targeting areas with strong rental demand and minimal HOA restrictions.Regarding an LLC, it’s great for liability protection, but it won’t necessarily give you tax benefits unless structured strategically.