Then I go with the handyman that the property managers for the complex use.

In my experience, apartment complexes are generally slow to respond to requests to verify rental history.

Ok, I admit that I am cheap......Do you have a friend in Seattle that rents from a large, professionally managed apartment complex or from a large SFH rental provider? 

they generally know by this time after inspections, appraisals, etc...I had a tenant who moved out several months after we took over her complex.  

My strategy is mostly SFH but I am open for 1-4 unit complexes.

I've got a 15 unit 93% occupied apartment complex in Atlanta.

I'd like them to have reputable experience with dealing with fix and flippers, not cost a crazy amount since I'm not going to be doing 50 flips my first year or doing any rentals yet, so it shouldnt be too complex (3-4 is my goal in an LLC), ideally a free consultation but thats not a must. 

This is what we did for all applicants at the apartment complex where I worked.

There are some groups out there doing (or claim they can do) drop and swaps but to most sponsors that's just a tangled web of complexity so you don't see this very often.4. 

Syndication seems to be a buzz word on these forums but there is a lot more complexity to it.