Hey there @Javian Moorman - Did you ever end up finding a quality and cost-effective countertop contractor in Chicago?

The hardest part is finding good tenants. 

For Mecklenburg, I am only able to find info regarding Taxforeclosures.

I understand the restrictions in the market (and that Napa county in completely restricted) but and am hoping to find an agent with experience specifically in short term rentals in the Sonoma market.

When I was looking into a similar situation I found the owners info on the county assessor's website, the property was owned by an LLC but I was able to look up the LLC on the secretary of state's website to find the owners info. 

Do I need to lower my standards or try to find alternative ways to source deals? 

She is a savvy investor herself and can help investors find property in the Upstate of SC including Greenville and surrounding areas.

I returned a few days later to find that he had spread gravel across the front yard and under the front porch!

A lot of people in Houston find them ok. 

If you're using standardized or rule-of-thumb metrics (for example, many out of state investors do this for expediency), you may find that tax and insurance expenses are much higher than anticipated.