There is a ton of fix and flip going on in Brooklyn and I am trying to work my confidence towards that after my first project at a lower price point around 300K somewhere (CT seems like my only option). 

However, if you learn the different options available and then figure out what they really want, you can often negotiate a killer deal.

The first thing I ask is why am I Buying the property.I always look at the exit strategy first, is it going to be a rental, a lease option sell, am I planning on living in it.

I’m curious to know what others think about these options.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Recommend exploring as many sources as possible to get referrals AND cross-reference them to get as much accurate information as possible.Check out NARPM.com, BP’s Property Manager Finder (BiggerPockets: The Real Estate Investing Social Network), etc.Also, encourage you to learn from the mistakes of others - by reading posts here on BiggerPockets about owners not having their expectations met by their current Property Management Company.

Are there any simpler loan options I should research as I start thinking about our next property? 

Another option could be a home equity line of credit (HELOC) if you have enough equity in your primary or second home.

I recommend that you find a trusted or recommended Mortgage Loan Originator (MLO), who can give you options for property-based loans (mostly investment loans) and they don't use your taxes but the P&L of the property.

We want to know the best TRUST option, We have 3 rental units in North Carolina and each one of the units is on their own LLC.

Off-market deals are key if you go this route, so networking is huge.Out-of-state investing is another option people love, especially in markets like PA (Philly, Scranton) or even down south where prices are lower, and the landlord-tenant laws are more forgiving.