The State exceptions for unlicensed finders apply to them as a whole, the additional guidance is to licensed individuals as to how they can compensate them legally.

The final thought...it's also common for some of these to no longer be legal and enforceable.

Collections, payables, marketing, maintenance, they are work great but with some small issues here and there.

I declined and suggested they move forward with the bid they felt most comfortable with at their own expense but they then seemed to threaten legal action in a veiled manner citing their understanding of Minnesota state law which they feel puts the duty for pest removal on the landlord.

Can I be held legally responsible for paying this guy? 

If you are a real estate professional, you may potentially be able to buy some rental properties, perform cost segregation studies and eliminate the taxable income.The issue, is in a couple more years, your PM company will likely be more profitable and you will have rental proprties with reduced depreciation, further increasing your tax burden.

You could just ask her to send you a recording of the noise as a first step. overloading can also be an issue. 

Reach out to a lender who can do Hard Money/Private Money (I can do this if you are having issues finding someone you trust).

May I please get some confirmation from a real estate attorney on whether my full-time job qualifies under the IRA's legal definition of "real property trades".

However, based on the numbers I've reviewed, we are so far behind on housing availability right now, that this won't be an issue for the foreseeable future.