I only buy SFR.BUT, and more importantly, rents went from about $1000-1100 before the recession (because people could  own house if they were breathing for $1200) UP to about $1300-1500 during the recession because nobody who lost their house wanted to move their family in to an apartment. 

Most (not all) realtors have commission breath and want to close one deal and can't see how investors want to do multiple deals a year.

Unless you really enjoy the face to face aspect, one does not need to be local to their CPA - many of us work remotely with investors from all over the country from mom and pop investors to large syndications.Likely many of your questions should be answered at the drop of a hat by the accountants here on BP as we all live and breathe real estate taxation, or it is something they can get you an exact answer rapidly if it truly is on the messier side.Best of luck in your search!

#@ OK OK breathe breathe...calm down Monkeybutt...so yeah...Do you really think that caveman approach to filtering a list  based on those primitive criteria will ever outperform facebooks automated selection of that perfect audience?

Look, it is painful but just pay the $3,000 and move on because you don't want your new buyers breathing down your neck as well after closing for the keys! 

Of course if I have a direct reason like "your credit score is too low" I will use it, but I can't say "your breath stinks, you didn't bother to take a shower before you showed up, and your kids are monsters".If this was a more popular area I could simply say "I chose another applicant", but around here it's just too obvious if that isn't true.

That $50 will make her feel great, and it sure buys me a lot of time and peace of mind (in knowing that the tenants aren't breathing down my neck waiting for me to get there).Personally I think it's a great business move and a great morale move as well. 

Steve, take a deep breath and count to ten.  

*Takes a breath* and everything else or should I just cough up to £1295 a month and let this agency do it all for us and wait for results???

You are a living and breathing part of the best real estate book, and more, ever!