Industry professionals are biased towards what makes them the most money, understandably, because why else are they in this business but to make money? 

Any tips on finding reliable professionals in my area?

Hiring a lawyer sounds expensive, but it is way cheaper than hiring a amateur (in this case yourself) who costs you money and provides no results (and then you need to hire a professional anyway).My personal philosophy is to "do it right, or do it twice" and its way cheaper to do it right once. 

They are mocking these up with interest only loans and factoring back in the tax deduction as if you qualified for the tax benefits of a real estate professional and factoring in the diminished first year property tax (since its not a full year).

It's a new resource from BiggerPockets that helps you find reliable property management partnerships and gives you everything you need to make confident hiring decisions:-Expert Matching: Match with professionals who meet your criteria-Extra Assurance: See licenses, experience, ratings, reviews, and more that can be cross-checked with BiggerPockets members-Bonus Content: Plus they'll send you an interactive workbook: “How to Interview Property Management Companies”Hope this helps!

Readers should seek professional advice.

Readers should seek professional advice.

Are they being professionally managed or DIY managed?

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

In addition to tangible screening such as credit checks, evictions, criminal background, & income checks consider intangibles as well - how well do they communicate with you & how professional?