If it turns out nobody is in there then you can hire a locksmith to get in and change the locks.I wouldn't put any utilities for the property in your name until you figure out who is in there and are able to legally get them out.  

I needed to make as many deals as I can, and hire as many people as I can for my company and active income.... and California was way too expensive... 

If you hire a property management company you will no longer have this problem.  

After finding a deal, you usually have to come up with the funds to purchase the property along with the funds to hire contractors.

Hi Edward,You would have to pay a refuse tax for trash collection or hire a private collector.

Hi everyone,I'm about to close my first deal and I need to do some renovations.KitchenPaintRepair windowsFloorsSo I know I have to hire an electrician and a plumber but by any chance someone could help me with a good contractor/handyman contact and by telling me what should I do first?

Is hiring a professional real estate worth it?

A great way to BRRR is to form a JV with that out of state investor. when someone  has a stake in an investment   instead of being a hired gun,  they will  have the same initiative ad you  to make the investment a success. 

My first was a duplex you can hire a PM to deal with tenants.Check out the Start Here page http://www.biggerpockets.com/starthere Check out BiggerPockets Ultimate Beginner's Guide - A fantastic free book that walks through many of the key topics of real estate investing.Check out the free BiggerPockets Podcast - A weekly podcast with interviews and a ton of great advice.

As @Cave Johnson mentioned, an agreed upon cost-plus for extras is viable and oft implemented especially in commercial work.Regarding pointing out problems or work needed... if you're not qualified to be walking the project yourself on a regular basis, hire someone who is (e.g., owner's rep).