There are ways to reduce the burden of short-term rentals such as hiring cleaning, a management team, etc.

I did hire him to renovate my NYC coop, and found that at the end of the experiment, although I was very happy with the quality of the work, communication between us was difficult and his subs were less than forthright. 

Or you can hire someone to write the letters and send them out for you. 

The guy I hired I asked to do a laundry list of tasks which included painting the exterior.

I could be way off on my assumptions which is why I hired an engineer to come by.

Doing most of the work myself because help is nearly impossible to hire around here.

We never hired a management company, as it was not cost effective with rent we have been charging and it is only one house.Another question: If I do wait til Fall 2019 to sell, should I rip the carpet (up the stairs, living room hallways, bonus and bedrooms—2600sf house) and leave floors bare, (it’s light colored, horrible carpet) to allow buyers to add their own?

This is a great reason to hire a seasoned property manager. 

Since I don't have an agent to guide me thru the process do I need to hire an agent myself, do I need an attorney?

Perhaps a nice 1950's built bungalow.Always hire a 3rd party property inspector to give you an unbiased feel for the home.