I am willing to do work and put money behind my marketing but would love to find a mentor locally who understands my market, wants deals brought to them, and could guide my efforts to be more efficient. 

Last week's Podcast #169 has a section that does a really good job explaining how notes can work, and the possible pitfalls.  

I've done showings, demos, landscaping, and cleaning for an investor for about a year and now I'd like to learn the behind the scenes work and start networking and building relationships with other investors.

One carrot to dangle to him is to have him come back to finish an item, pay him but tell him you will only pay him after he signs the lien waiver (which basically states that he got paid for the work and is responsible for paying all subcontractors). 

You have a plan to work and it will pay off. 

Get your contractor/project manager to walk the property and give a scope of work and rough estimate of rehab costs.

This complex has one non-operable unit (used to work) and since i bought it, it has been only a storage room for my materials, etc. generating no income.I am debating between turning this unit (~450sqft) into a studio, rent it as storage to one or two tenants, or a laundry room?

@Constancia Russell I'd ask for proof that the repairs were done by a licensed contractor and that the town has inspected the work and issued a certificate of occupancy.Other than that, it sounds like a reasonable explanation and you should probably move forward.

Many large businesses in Manhattan are not asking their employees to come back to work in the city and instead allow remote work. And

Keep the good work and soon You will be a fellow investor in US real estate.