If you aren't going to be active and involved (or at least pay someone to do it for you) don't bother, you are wasting your money. 

I feel like this is just a post made to ignite an argument. 90% of it is so incorrect that I'm just going to assume you are a troll and not waste time addressing any point you've attempted at making.

I was formerly an investment banker at a top tier Wall Street firm, so I'm very optimistic about learning a lot and being successful in the real estate investments realm. 

That is the part of representing investors that most traditional agents do not want to or feel they do not have to deal with.With that said, no one likes to feel like their time is being wasted. 

These are including (but not limited to):Exterminator / Pest control: $37 monthlyWater softener maintenance: $10-35 monthlySeptic waste removal: $250 every other year.There are a couple other minor expenses, but none that would affect my bottom line.

It was pretty much time wasted.

A good finance attorney can well be in 5 digits an hour, what we speak of here is pretty elementary and I've obtained good advice on the phone, but then, you need to have your ducks in a row and not waste their time, too. :)

@Lindsey Turner  Have you vetted them to make sure they are real... remember there are many fraudsters out there that get off wasting agents time and efforts.Now if they have proofed up then you know you have something to work with..

Normally, wet dog smells don't linger and when they do cleaning the carpet and/or painting the walls takes care of it.  

Sellers do not want to waste time, brokers do not want to waste time.The best thing the poster might want to do is go work for a highly successful investment firm already.