If you aren't sure who to choose from, ask each of them for a meeting/consultation to break down your goals, the market, and the acquisition process.Once you've selected one, have them draft the offer for you and take it from there.The best agents are responsive, knowledgeable on the local market, have a strong supporting team (i.e. lenders, title, inspectors, title, etc.), and know how to put together a deal.As @Michael K Gallagher mentioned, you'd want to clarify whether or not your agent is also representing the seller.

We're located in Great Barrington, MA and we are rookies getting into REI.  We've been in Solar for the last 20 years and are just getting started in the rental market long term and maybe short term. We're flexible.  ...

I would definitely make sure to consult beforehand.

Reliable Cleaners will make or break your success with short-term rentals, so that is a must.

The tenants who rent those units are college administrators, physicians, consultants etc.

I do.think that nowadays whoever you hire as an SEO consultant needs to know how to get your ranked for AI as well since the search is giving it priority ranking.

Building a reliable power team is crucial for smooth transactions.

Yes, we still sometimes end up with appraisals that are significantly “off”, but, those tend to be “off” by lesser amounts and most are at least somewhat reliable.  

I would consult a local real estate attorney in TX as this is really only allowed in the state of TX.

(I've noticed that zillows in house background check is not great & not reliable based on my previous experiences with them)