There occupancy this off season was the lowest since the Great Recession   They are struggling compared to past years.Good luck

The biggerpockets rental calculator is great, but sometimes the rent estimates are way off.

DIY will be the "cheapest" - you can set up an account on the MA DOR website, register your LLC, you pay over the whopping $500 MA charges you to register an LLC, and voila, you are off to the races.

Then the idea is that i will have the equity in the home after renovation to use as my "20%" when I refi, get the 80% back in cash and pay off my HELOC with it, then do it again.

You're correct, hat's off to you. 

Access to Off-Market Deals: Many deals that are ideal for investors never make it to the open market.

You may also be better off looking in some less expensive markets in ME like Augusta or L/A for these types of deals since your downpayment will stretch a little farther.

If your NOI is greater than the market, they'll work off your actuals.

Someone like Entera who underwrites deals off the MLS and sends them to you for purchase?

Some may be set up to handle a more "hands off" landlord and some are set up for a more hands on experience.