If you send me a PM I will give you a short list of how to research and find someone professional.while you are searching for a new property manager, start documenting every way that your current property manager has failed to protect you and your interests or honor the agreement. once the new property manager is located, give your current property manager notice of his failure to properly manage the home and communicate. let him know you want to terminate your contract in 30 days with no penalty or fees.

I'm specifically hoping to gear this topic towards dealing with HOA's from a househacking perspective for those starting out.

It has gotten a LOT more difficult with the SAFE Act, Consumer Finance Protection Bureau, pro tenant/borrower judicial decisions, as well as state and local ordinances.

I am a newbie investor and bought a duplex under my name with a mortgage.I was told by my lender that I could not have obtained a loan under LLC.Now, I would like to move that property under LLC to protect my assets.

You are in treacherous waters here ... the prospective tenant told you they were receiving disability making them a protected class so be careful. 

They just raised the minimum deduction to the point that it is more than most people's itemized deductions.I would be willing to refi a rental to pay off my home mortgage because in most states your personal home and qualified retirement accounts are protected from bankruptcy/law suites so they are one of your most secure places to stash your money (although fairly illiquid). 

In all likelihood, he has an "Exclusive Right to Sell" contract with the seller, so he gets paid no matter what.What he's probably worried about is that his seller isn't a trained negotiator and will say or do something to either screw up the deal or to give you ammunition to come back looking for a big discount.In other words, he's trying to protect the seller - to whom he's a fiduciary. 

2) If a property needs to be updated (ex: new floor, paint, fence), how should I go about incorporating language into a deal that allows me to make the updates I need while providing me with the proper protection financially and operationally?

Anyway, we decided on a refundable deposit, proof of it being a "service" animal, and an addendum that she sign and return that basically protects both parties.

Get a solid contract that protects the owner and you.