Whether it will actually benefit you is another story, and that comes to the next part of your question:As for who should create or advise on the entity: creation should be left to the lawyer, although the accountant may provide insight into the structuring of entities.

I think if I were to have 3+ properties in Connecticut (total value over $500k) I would revisit the LLC creation discussion.

I am just trying to get a feel for an average price to be expected for:1) Initial tax evaluation, plan creation etc  (flat rate per year)2) Tax advisement for each following year3) Fees for actual tax return filingI am not asking for specific CPA recommendations, or anything of that nature.. just trying to figure out what range I should be expecting for somebody who specializes in real estate.

That said, Toth was specially allowed her expenses that were claimed as she was deemed currently operating.You should read 195 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/195"(c)Definitions For purposes of this section—(1)Start-up expenditures The term “start-up expenditure” means any amount—(A)paid or incurred in connection with—(i)investigating the creation or acquisition of an active trade or business, or(ii)creating an active trade or business, or(iii)any activity engaged in for profit and for the production of income before the day on which the active trade or business begins, in anticipation of such activity becoming an active trade or business, and(B)which, if paid or incurred in connection with the operation of an existing active trade or business (in the same field as the trade or business referred to in subparagraph (A)), would be allowable as a deduction for the taxable year in which paid or incurred.The term “start-up expenditure” does not include any amount with respect to which a deduction is allowable under section 163(a), 164, or 174."

More importantly, principal pay-down is one of the key accelerators in wealth creation in real-estate.

Once that's done and I'm caught up on content creation, I'll look into some of your (Chris) suggestions....

Hope Mills is a good part of town for sure, but my opinion is that you're too far towards the top of the price range.It's your first one, and it's rare people get great deals on their first one (mine was awful), so I'm not beating you up but you need to know where the goal post is for minimum acceptable deals and for Fayetteville the minimum is about 1.3x price/rent and 20% equity creation.

There is also a 1,000+ job creation through an Amazon warehouse to be built by 2021 in the immediate vicinity(speculative- private companies can pull out.

I would not claim RE pro if there is no other income to offset- that lumps all of your properties into a tax grouping election and creations issues when you sell. 

I prefer Houston TX heres why; As of 2019 Houston has the #1 market for job creation in the US.