As much as investors tend to complain about realtors, I'd strongly suggest that YOU need one since you sound very new to the game.

Without proper permits, there’s a chance the city may request you to revert any non-compliant additions (like the extra bathroom) to align with code standards.When it comes to refinancing, banks tend to look closely at the property’s legal compliance.

So, real estate agents may do it part-time, but rarely do they do it well.Recommend exploring as many sources as possible to get referrals AND cross-reference them to get as much accurate information as possible.Check out NARPM.com, BP’s Property Manager Finder (BiggerPockets: The Real Estate Investing Social Network), etc.Also, encourage you to learn from the mistakes of others - by reading posts here on BiggerPockets about owners not having their expectations met by their current Property Management Company.

I'm sure the answer is "it depends" but in general, do people that operate medium-term rentals tend to find a better response from a unit that looks pretty or a unit that might have some more perks while someone is there for a short time?

I am in Colorado.I see a few interesting investments, that on paper in a spreadsheet, look to be worth a closer look -->  in St Louis, MO.I'd like a strong referral to a respected agent who is open to talking with me about their availability to work with me.Thank you in advance!

I tend to try to house hack 2+ units.

ya absolutely. most people just recommend multi family because it allows you to offset your income while living there without having roommates. also they tend to cash flow better so if the plan is to do this year over year making sure the rents cover your DTI when you move out is very important.

This tends to eliminate appraiser incompetence and requires adherence to guidelines set by the Appraisal Institute.  

The other thing I like about it is the repeat clients and referrals.

I tend to prefer this route.If you want to hop on a call and go over specifics I am available most of this week.