You want to ensure they know you are not a real estate agent.

Get a firm quote before committing.If appreciation is low, ensure rents are strong enough to justify the effort. 

Metro Atlanta, generally speaking, respective markets 30 to 45 minutes from the City, will be tight on cash flow unless you implement a creative investment strategy, such as short-term rentals, medium-term rentals, or rent-by-the-room properties, or allocate at least 30% to 35% towards your downpayment if you intend to hold the property as a long-term rental. 

Since financing might be tricky, you may also want to explore DSCR loans or creative financing options.

The first clue lies (pun intended) in this fragment from your friend's creative writing sample: ...I wanted to "sell" the rental house to a new LLC...Anytime you have to put a critical word like sell in quotation marks, it means that you're not actually selling.

It will help ensure you have a good deal and that your deal makes sense.

Do your homework to ensure you are picking someone competent and honest.Remember: cheaper doesn't mean you'll make more money.Start by going to www.narpm.org to search their directory of managers.

Given the property is located in the Poconos and the property is vacant more regularly as an STR there are proactive measures  you should  be taking such as making sure there are heating sources so that the plumbing does not freeze and ensuring there are no blocks in the plumbing lines with routine checks.

Creative Financing" can mean a lot of different things depending on who you're talking with. 

While their services may seem expensive, they can save you money by maximizing deductions and ensuring compliance with tax laws.