What you are really doing is running a list up with a national phone database and ADDING phone numbers to your list.The term "Skip Trace" comes from TRACING down people who SKIPPED out on their bills.

(Giant national online company or local savings and loan? 

It always does change and (b.) the amount of debt we carry as a nation will need to be paid and the likely place to get the money is the huge amount of money in 401(k)s and IRA's that is "locked in".

National lenders in cubicles somewhere sometimes are a little out of touch. 

National Bank of Commerce is one lender that will allow you to have more than four as they go by Fannie Mae guidelines as @Mike D'Arrigo  stated. 

I think I can mention names;  swbc.com , finance of america are 2 national lenders. 

I have kind of been torn on whether to go with a small local company, or one of the larger national chains. 

Dear fellow landlords, have you had experience renting to foreign nationals?

They are small little local credit check companies, there are some national ones as well.Make sure you know all of your state laws. 

Good afternoon everyone, I’m a 21 Alabama National Guard soldier and I’m currently deployed in Iraq.