A conventional renovation loans will allow you to use preferred contractors, requirements are they must be simply licensed and insured.  

Moreover, it allows you to set the terms of the lease agreement according to your preferences, which can help prevent misunderstandings and disputes in the future. 

I am wanting to purchase a condo in the St Pete Beach (preferable Treasure Island) market post hurricane(s).

BP would be great too but I do prefer to work in person so hopefully someone localEddieEddie, contact my friend, Raymond Sawyer, he is in San Diego.

If not for you and you prefer the traditional route, I would explore potential "up and coming" markets such as Acworth, Cartersville, and Douglasville, where the price-to-rent ratio is a little more favorable, and growth is apparent.

Our strategy is to buy out of shape properties and rehab them back into shape, so a GC with experience in doing extensive renovations at once would be preferred.

Preferably looking for properties under $200k, but up to $300k.

Free events or groups are preferred, as I feel the connections made are more genuine, but I am open to anything. 

Loan officers with 25 years of experience typically are more experienced, and have less time per file, because they have an abundance of files.Loan officers with 25 months of experience typically are less experienced, but have more time to devote to you.I can't write my own loans, so when I'm getting a loan I prefer working with less busy people when I'm doing my own real estate investment, they're more responsive and dedicated it feels like.

Maintenance and potential repairs will also require a long-term financial plan and setting aside a contingency fund for such expenses.The steady cash flow, appreciation over time, and tax benefits can make a meaningful difference to your wealth in the long term, especially with the principal paydown on the mortgage.However, if managing the property from a distance feels too burdensome, or if you’d prefer the certainty and flexibility that comes with having less debt (especially given the high mortgage rates), selling and using the $100,000 in equity to reduce your loan for your next home may be the smarter move.