You should have been planning from the start to pay the HELOCs out of your regular income sources not the rentals.

Here's a summary of what you need to know:Population greater than 1M and growth rate: The source for metro population size and population change: WikipediaCrime.Operating costs: State income taxes are a good indicator of government efficiency.

or out sourcing it if so who's doing it   how about google ads?  

@Kenneth P Ford they are a national franchise with great marketing.They also have some national support for their individual franchises, but it all depends on the local team.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.

Zillow is a great source of leads for us, but we have a contract with them.

And dont get me started with gas meter upgrade requirements if its near a source of ignition or under an operable window.

It is helpful to know that many HOA’s don’t allow STRs…I am also trying to source information about the STR regulations in this area to target the right small house.  

They provide excellent, practical advice on every aspect of MTRs including cost metrics, location strategies, market data sources, needed furnishings, and more.

I am willing to go so far as to say they intentionally are seeking investment sources who don't have the means or sophistication to conduct appropriate diligence.Sadly social media has made it far easier for these bad actor capital raisers to get in front of their target audience with ease.

Yup just a lead source  nothing more.. hard sell  FOMO high pressure tactics