They have worked with these people, know their skill level and reliability, and they have an interest in maintaining a long term relationship with them as well as you.

That could be helpful if I wanted to start in a JV so I would provide some technical, construction skills to s.o. who is not interested in the dirty job but has the money?

Even then, we buy and make more money than the seller - depending upon our skill set developed.

Reading is a valuable skill that's under appreciated in this generation. 

There is no shortage of people who will help you, but they aren't looking for you, you need to look for them. networking is NOT a natural talent, it's a skill like any other that you get better at with practice. 

In my area I would pay a laborer $80-100 per day and a handyman $100-150 per day depending on the type of work and the skill and experience of the person.

As a new, out of state investor, unless you have a lot of time, skills and knowledge, you might want to consider working with a good turn key company, otherwise, there are a lot of moving parts and a lot of different people that you need to line up and you have to get it right with every one of them.

I have never worked as a manager but I do know that people skills are high on the list of qualifications.

Real estate requires lots of money sales skills and good credit .

Will you maintain marketable skills to rejoin the workforce in a more palatable occupation?