Will I be likely to face lawsuits and liens related to the work done by the auction buyer and his contractors (the lien period won't close for a few months.) 

Admittedly I'm a recent transplant from MI so still feel the newb factor, however been enjoying VT, the area & it's people really well thus far. 

I enjoy good company of friends and family, outdoors and learning new things.

There are 2 possibilities, 1) you hired a small time PM company and they are upcharging you or they just dont know what they are doing and didnt get bids from other contractors. 2) You hired a big firm and they use a commercial landscaping company that charges more because the PM company is a commercial client. 

If you are a realtor, property manager, or contractor in one of these locations please reach out as well.

I understand that a lot of investors just use general contractors or their own expertise, but I am curious if maybe something like same day home inspections would be helpful, since some deals can get snatched quickly?

I think you should ask the seller last time what does it take ($) to sign the contract or you can tell her best you can do is offer say $60K with quick closing as condition. 

With an excellent contractor and property manager these can be fantastic investments.

I read like a mad man and have really enjoyed some of the blogs.  

I have a couple of investors who only look for opportunities in this area because they have a contractor who owns property himself in this area.