I'd like to self-manage the first rental as a learning experience but would eventually plan to transition to a management company, so the numbers have to make sense to cover this expense.  

@Todd Krzeminski I was more worried about the company solvency over the economic downturn but agree another huge hit like 2008 and the first to go are unsecured loans.

Mark, welcome aboard.BP is a great conduit for RE investment advice and insights.My company is both a private buyer and private lender on lower ARV $ properties throughout the U.S. 

Should I be shopping for a different title company or a different lender?

Not "they've heard of it" or "they know of it" or "someone else in their company has done one".

Are you going to be a Landord or use a property management company?

Simple question: Can I pay my wife to clean a rental property instead of hiring a cleaning company and claim it as a tax deduction, or is that unethical/illegal?

After agreeing on the purchase price with the homeowner (who lives out of the area), they put a counter in the offer that I couldn't get the name and information of the property management company until *after* escrow closes.

My question is im a budding wholesaler and im having a very difficult time finding a title company that is willing to do doublecloses dry.

There is company by name "homelpc" that does this kind of lease options.