Paying more to guarantee getting the product versus jumping through hoops (short sale) or possibility of now owning it at all (auction).I'm only asking questions to understand!

Recommend you have a great understanding of the answers to these questions before thinking about a lawsuit.You'll also want to use these questions as discussion points with any new PMC you interview.If you post the address, everyone here will be able to give you more feedback about the quality of the listing and perhaps more insights.

I imagine cost of labor might be a little bit cheaper in Idaho compared to Connecticut as we ended up paying 10k for gas furnace and 5k for AC with 10 yr warranty for Lennox product.  

Yes, it's true that you might be able to find a product you need at a greater discount when a brand like Wayfair or CB2 is having a sale, but I've found that they truly do offer superior discounts at scale, even considering the fee. 

You’ll learn the ropes on how to be a landlord with a lower risk/higher quality tenant-base. 

I would lean more MTR or LTR regardless of product type.

I know sometimes no matter what everything just isn't for everyone however if you stick to quality service you'll hit the goal more times than not.

However, I noticed that as a Costco member, they also offer HVAC services, including the same product line (Lennox), along with a 10% Costco Shop Card if you go through them.Has anyone here used Costco for their HVAC needs?

I could be wrong but I am unfamiliar with any products existing.

These are the product of much discussion as it is!