Is hiring a property management company necessary to manage your rental properties.

Hiring an investment company will take off the entire load from your shoulders as they will help you right from the starting process.

I went to another town about 50 miles away, and hired a third attorney. 

I bet any attorney you hire will want more $$$ than Rick & has never actually had to deal w/ your situation thinking through it "as an investor".  

Yet I know there's an active community of cash buyers here.More opportunity for me.I bought 200 signs and I'm almost afraid to put any more out until I do a deal and hire a VA/outsource lead screening to an answering service.

I've hired Stephen Sardone before and liked his work, but would like to get several bids. 

We didn't hire an inspector, it was just a visual inspection around the property with our realtor.

Occupancy is currently 86% and the current owners literally have no marketing, not the brightest strategy but nonetheless they have gone from 53% from a year and a half ago to 86% with this strategy... its pretty much just word of mouth although it does have very good proximity to the highway system.The management company we will hire is charging 4% to oversee everything; this includes bookkeeping, etc.  

Does anyone ever hire a security guard?

That factors in hiring a property manager to manage the property.