It seems to me that they all whether paid of free, will all have the same exact amount of houses because all the transactions are all public and so they seem to compete with each other based on the quality of the data of the houses, how up to date it is, and the user experience in configuring the how the layout is.

Colors, quality of paint, how much prep needed, holes patches etc. 

Contractors, unless you have a working relationship with them, normally do not want you bouncing ideas off them.Understand what their hourly rate is, have a discussion with them that you are okay with paying them an hourly rate if they walk the property with you and provide you a scope of work along with an explanation of what you can/can't get away with in regards to improvements.ask them if you go with them, if they can credit you the amount that you paid.Once you develop a working relationship with a few contractors, you can bounce ideas off them and expect quality responses.I do not invest in New York.Best of luck. 

We stick to high quality neighborhoods and homes and are doing really well with it.

I find it odd that this isn't a more standardized practice.

Success in this field doesn’t happen overnight—it requires years of strategic investing, continuous education, and persistence.The key is to focus on growing markets, quality neighborhoods, and building a strong support team.

https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/12/topics/1122318-quality-turnkey-companies?

Is this standard for most major property management companies.

Some of the materials we choose and asked him to pick up (such as flooring) he replaced with low quality materials, I assume to keep more of our money for himself. 

What's the quality of the furniture included?