If you have equity and decent credit, a conventional Fannie Mae HomeStyle (or the Freddie Mac version) would likely be the better option instead of an FHA 203k loan (which will require a 3rd party HUD consultant to oversee the deal in addition to having the contractor involved). 

It's a more involved discussion that requires one on one communication and no, joining a "community" does not prepare you.

What are your requirements?

As for non-bank loans, I'm familiar with a loan program that provides 100% financing, but it requires a minimum 650 credit score and proof of funds covering 12 months of interest.

I would also mention that once you have invested in Utah, I recommend the Utah Rental Housing Association as a resource.

It is much more difficult to sell an entire portfolio that has become uninsurable (which would require a cash only sale) or that insurance rates are so high that no one wants to buy. 

I highly recommend you start going to meetups.  

I was told the reserves are a requirement of the REIT loan that we have.

We don’t know any PMCs to recommend in the Cape Coral/fort Meyers area, but since selecting the wrong PMC is usually more harmful than selecting a bad tenant, you might want to read our series about “How to Screen a PMC Better than a Tenant”:https://www.biggerpockets.com/member-blogs/3094/91877-how-to-screen-a-pmc-better-than-a-tenant-part-1-services-and-processesWe recommend you get management contracts from several PMCs and compare the services they cover and, more importantly, what they each DO NOT cover.

For lenders, I have access to private money lenders or if you want to go the traditional route, I recommend checking out Coast to Coast - Jeff Weller.