I read this morning that the Fed signals bond buying taper coming "soon" and interest rates rising between now and 2024.Does anyone have any thoughts on if this will effect the housing market, mortgages & borrowing?

Some agents specialize in investors and spend most of their time finding off-market deals for their clients utilizing the tools you mentioned.

Also, look into Green Bonds or Green loans if you are adding EV charging or solar etc. as Banks like to access that source of money if you're modernizing a building to be Energy efficient or leed compliant.

I would love to connect with agents who specialize in STRs  to help me with narrowing down the potential markets and to connect me with property management companies since I am out of state.

As it is a third party lender, I can even deduct the interest of the loan as an investment expense.There are few lenders specialized in Cash Value Line of Credit (CVLOC).

I think @Dmitriy Fomichenko or @Brian Eastman might have a list of lenders who SPECIALIZE in this type of loan, which is different than a 'normal' rental loan.Dan Dietz

Does anyone know of a CPA that is specialized in Real Estate Tax's that would be able to accommodate a newer Real Estate investor?

A good lender should be able to tell you what to expect for an FHA loan and its requirements.One tip I have is to go to local credit unions or local small banks in your area and ask if they have any special low down payment programs for first time homeowners.

Are there any contractors who specialize in diagnosing issues in duct without ripping the ceiling?

I have to give a special shout out to @John Underwood @Luke Carl and @Paul Sandhu.