I'd never trust the numbers of a homeowner, unless they were a licensed contractor themselves, and even then, I'd double-check and verify everything myself.Since you don't know any contractors, I'd reach out to your network (friends, family, coworkers) and ask for references.

If anyone could refer me to a good buyer's agent who has experience working with investors in the Atlanta market that I might be able to contact and see if they can get in touch with the listing agent, I would greatly appreciate it.

Right now you are just hoping your seller doesn't get a judgement attached to 'your' houses.Conventional loans are pretty easy (small amounts aside) to get up to 4. 

The good news is it's usually it's pretty easy to get rid of tenants with a weekly lease. 

Not so easy peasy refacing. 

In terms of prospecting, if you're referring to sellers, not sure if brokers are allowed to do direct mail.

It’s an easy thing to do on the mls and then just start analyzing as many deals as possible so you recognize a good deal right away.  

Fees should be clearly stated, easy to understand, and justifiable.

This is an easy way to help mitigate risk.

If you're in an hot market (i.e. easy to rent), you can get away with holding less liquidity or vice-versa.