I'm a former CPA, so I track every line item in exhaustive detail and had a couple of good lessons learned. 

I did everything myself and didn't hire anyone other than an online mapping firm which handled drawing the site map. 

We are less than an hour and a half from Nashville.

A personal Umbrella policy gives an additional limit of liability that kicks in if the Homeowners Liability coverage is exhausted. 

Ideally I'd like my first deal to be a WHOLESALING and grow more comfortable with that process before I attempt a FLIP.STEPS I'VE TAKEN: Aside from writing this exhaustive intro about myself I've attended my local REI group in Sept 2018.

@Brad Mylius Hondros has a weekend only course...kind of exhausting sacrificing your weekends, but it's not a bad option...that's the way I did it...seemed to work well. 

Quiet is an opinion more than an observation.

It's been a couple of years since we've had to replace a carpet, but I'd be happy to share the contractor we used.And, no, Home Depot will never be cheaper than an independent contractor: They have to mark up the cost for it to make sense for them to be involved.

Look for win-win where possible.Police removal of trespassers, if necessary, can often be accomplished far more swiftly than an eviction, but may still require substantial verifiable evidence of ownership (e.g., legal deed, etc.) and absence of a lease (e.g., shown in affidavit/statement from former owner-dad). 

Second to trusting the person, another huge reason I do it is because first timers typically take far less out of the deal than an experienced person would.