If you plan to keep it, I suggest planting fruit or nut bearing trees on it or timber.

Needless to say I'm looking to crank things up for myself and I am looking for agents, flippers etc. to work with throughout the country looking for "hot" rental properties.

All of those factors add up to a big risk for agents that wholesale. 

If the latter, what would be best practices for age-based percentages?

How big a deal is it for agents when they are approached with these requests? 

But given the heightened competition I'm branching out into auction to find deals this year... and it appears to be bearing some fruit as long as this home is not a complete train wreck when I finally get to see it.

Later on, as you have acquired more, I would lean back a bit and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

You can get a textbook for agents taking the exam for about $20, that has the basics you need to know.I think what you can expect is a bunch of people to network with.Trick is, who should you work with and who should you believe?

Its a great read for agents starting out

You have to realize that most direct mail marketing in real estate, for agents, is to get listings.