Bank 1 has offered us (through a special relationship with my employer) a rate of 3.875% for 30-year fixed mortgage, but only requires 10% down payment with no PMI requirement.Bank 2 has offered us a rate of 3.125% for 30-year fixed mortgage, but requires 20% down payment, and the 3.125% low rate is conditioned upon us putting $500k cash in a Bank 2 account (I think this $500k would include the down payment amount and isn't on top of/additional to the down payment, thankfully!).

I would prioritize finding an accountant who specializes in real estate taxation over one that is local.There are 20+ accountants on this message board who specialize in real estate taxation.

The realtor is a special skill set for helping real estate investors.

You certainly have the right idea - looking to build your team right out of the gate.There are a few of us here on BP who specialize in working with real estate investors and I believe most offer a free intro meeting (we do).Shop around a bit and see if there's a good fit for you.

A great way to filter out noise is to ignore all of the gurus who claim you can make money over night with no money down utilizing their special system. 

If debt-financed real estate is acquired via an IRA, any income attributable to such investment will generally be subject to unrelated debt finance income tax.5.

I’d like to hire someone that actually specializes in taking photos for vacation rentals if that is possible.

Hi All,I'm looking for recommendations for an real estate attorney that specializes in international transactions.

Lending is super tight right now, as specially if you don't already have a relationship with a lender.  

@Avery Carl what STR markets do your team specialize in?