I get a lot of applications from out-of-area people, typically moving from another state.

Chicago need another million people in population to force us to push south.   

This just covers the basics: how many people, do they have pets, what is their timeline for moving?

With your background in lease management and site selection, that could be a natural next step.Regarding STRs, I can understand the hesitation—accurate expense tracking is critical, and not having that data can make evaluating deals frustrating.

I've seen many people suggest a cash out refi but I like the flexibility of the heloc.

So - somewhere 2 hours away, or somewhere you like to vacation in, or where all your family lives, or where you plan to move someday.Too many people are trying to do exactly what you're doing - pick a market based on a formula - and they end up buying a random 'cheap' property thousands of miles away, turn it over to people they've never met or even spoken to, and then... lose money.  

It's mostly retired people or people who have no money.

Why do you need 15 people to move forward ?

I've trained people at my jobs when I was a senior accountant to controller.I've used Yardi Enterprise (old desktop client software)Yardi Voyager 6s & 7sYardi Genesis2Reason why I say you won't be able to find a tutor is because no one is going to spend $15K a year to use as a training platform to mentor and tutor people.

Taking real time notes on deficiencies allows for clear understanding if the items make their way to a buyer repair addendum.