Are those free to use or do I have to sign up and pay monthly? 

It's a side hustle started aside of my employee job and I feel that this is my best plan to pay my 4 kids college starting in 2027 and secure my dream retirement in about 10 years.

I would also recommend doing a walkthrough video so your buyers can understand the layout and make you a soft offer before seeing it.There are many more things that would facilitate the sales process on the acquisition side, but since you are starting out, keep it simple and do not make an offer on-site since you said you are new and might not know how to run the numbers.

I'm an electrical contractor and do alot myself and pay other contractors for their work.

Put simply, it’s how much the VA will pay your lender if you default on the loan. 

They cost about $50 and have the applicant pay for it. 

Landlords can conduct credit and background checks and have applicants submit  pay stubs and any other qualifications they may require of any applicant. 

I almost made the mistake of paying a Philly guru who was going to teach me the ins and outs of buying section 8 homes and after reaching out to others on BP who invest in better market real estate, realized its incredibly risky.

A friend has offered to pay me to manage a house he owns in the Greater Hartford area. 

Treasury bills are paying 5% and if you stagger their maturity you could have the money ready to go if you find a better opportunity.