If you attend these meetings, what do you learn from them?

Consider networking with real estate agents and attending meetups.

I attend several of the local investor meetups around the Charlotte area. 

You can meet local investors by registering to attend real estate events in your area: https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/521-events-and-happenings6.

Do we pull into a gas station and the attendant asks us what is fair?

first thing one should do is figure out if they quality the 2  in  5 tax treatment and if the home has appreciated a ton like 250 to 500k which is very common in coastal markets and Denver for instance.. selling would be far smarter than renting. pocket the tax free and find another rental. turning it into a rental you lose that one time tax treatment which in my mind is the very best for real estate. 

I understand there’s a large number of coaching calls per week too, but that although you aren’t guaranteed a direct answer to your question you have 16 coaching calls to attend per week to get answers and to listen to other people’s questions which might be helpful.

A great way to start is by attending RE events and joining a local investors association.

. $70k for a full gut renovation doesn't sound like much, depending on how many square feet the property is.Also, it might be worth finding another local investor in Lorain who understands the building court...you should be able to attend, tell them the story, and then find a creditable contractor to get this done or figure out what you could whole sell the property for so you can get out from under the stress.

You have come to the right place to begin your investing journey.Have you looked into attending local meetings and joining Facebook groups?