The standard online mortgage lenders see the amount is too small for them to conduct a refinance.

It's for liability coverage since that PM will have keys to enter the house and essentially will be assisting you in conducting business. 

Conduct some research in the area and you may be able to find companies that charge 75% of the first month's rent, ect.

I tell them that sometimes they do audits or send "secret shoppers" and that I could get in trouble if I make an exception for anybody. 

We will be allowed to conduct a phase I during due diligence. 

Flipping and wholesaling are businesses, and if conducted regularly in an IRA will generate taxable UBTI (Unrelated Business Taxable Income).Buy and hold rentals work well. 

Its all about feeling comfortable with who you are about to conduct business with, if youd like my 2cents feel free to PM me

Read these @Stanford Neal Mead, you should have 98% of your question answered, including a checklist to clarify with the partner prior to entering partnership:How to Effectively Conduct Joint Venture Agreements as a Real Estate Investor596231-how-do-i-properly-construct-a-purchase-with-a-partnership591376-create-an-llc-for-first-partnership-best-way-to-do-so526244-taking-on-partner-s-and-limiting-our-liabilites

Also, understanding how the world of agents works - meaning how to interact with them, how the business is conducted/handled, all the rules/regulations, etc.

What sort of research/due diligence do you guys conduct on [b]local market conditions to get comfortable investing in areas that are far from where you reside?