There are also a couple of consultants I would hire when things get serious. 

I am not an expert on rubber roofing, but have hired a few to do roofs for us.

I would hire an agent to do a BPO and give you a value.

you could also hire a mobile notary.. to go to their home and have them sign.

Hire them.  

They will not be on site to fix for thousands less with little effort, they will incur extra costs due to the requirement to hire management since they are out of state owners. 

You can put your equity into a nicer neighborhood with better tenants and less capital expenditures (if you aren't already in a nice neighborhood) and also reduce your involvement by hiring a property management company.

Can I start the company and hire an agent to sign the leases and list the properties?

If you have ever been a technology hiring manager (and many other hiring managers as well) in the last couple of decades, you have probably experienced the incoming 'stack' of resumes when a position is posted.

I am communicating with their regional rep though.