Just to establish rental history worked well.

What about compliance with city regulations?

Depending how much time and money you want to invest, you can look at starting your own agency, buying an established agency, partnering with a small agency or forming a referral partnership with a current agency. 

The lodging establishments that are currently feeling the effects the most are the hotels near convention centers.

PMs are regulated in NC.

I understand that the best way would be to get a referral, but if I want to establish a relationship with someone new, what questions do I ask or what do I look at?

What your CPA has recommended is you receiving rent "income" in the form of a personal service barter, so you would still technically have to report the value of the chef services as rental income.Now it's true, most people don't report barter services, but in this case there is a vast difference between what the tax regulation states vs what people actually do.For example, as a CPA, if I do your tax return in return for mowing the lawn at my house, I would still have to value the amount of your lawnmowing and declare that as income. 

I will be getting a SSN within the next 2-3 weeks as I finally got my investor's visa however I will not have an established credit history for some time.Could anyone help to point me in the right direction with a corporate line of credit that is underwritten based on equity and cashflow as opposed to credit, personal income? 

@Keir JohnsonYour 1099 income should allow you to establish a Solo 401(k) plan. 

After I establish the new home as my Residence, the manager at Republic Bank says he can give me a HELOC at the low rate and at least 70% Loan to Value.