Having cash reserves gave me the confidence to move quickly on a great deal without losing sleep over unexpected expenses.

If you can confidently do a better job, it becomes an easy convo. 

If you're refinancing to a business purpose loan that's totally fine, but chances are good you'll need a lease in place for the unit you were occupying so the lender feels confident that it's strictly going to be used as an investment property.

I am very confident that my STR PM would be able to evict an STR tenant that over stayed their reservation in less than a day and likely in less than a couple/few hours.  

I feel confident after you do your first deal you'll be kicking yourself for not doing it sooner.

I'm absolutely confident in my decision to work with them.

If it's tight or you're uncomfortable with the tenant you have in there from a confidence perspective, especially if this is a first deal, maybe meet in the middle and get a lender at 75% or 77% (doesn't HAVE to be at 5% increments) that wont make you season, and leave a bit more money in the deal, but sleep better.Overall, if I cash flow well, have/keep reserves, and am comfortable I fixed everything in the house, I like to max out the LTV on refi.

Generally, once you engage a Public Adjuster, your agent is out of the loop.  

Nick is a sharp investor U may want to see if he will engage you off line for some deeper dive in methods for success 

I don't beleive this is true based on the IRS site stating you don't have to issue a 1099 if you are "not engaged in a trade or business."