However, I still have property and family in the area and don’t mind to be a resource if you need anything on your journey!

A little about my background:BS in Business Administration from Old Dominion UniversityMS in Telecommunications Management Oklahoma State UniversityCurrent Senior Captain (Network Engineer) in the United States Army:  Expertise include Project Management, Human Resource Management, Logistics Management, Information Technology Management.  

Here's the steps you should take to learn the basics of estimating rehab costs:#1 Read 'The Book on Estimating Rehab Costs'First, you need to build a foundational knowledge of construction, inspecting properties and putting together a detailed SOW.JScott's 'The Book on Estimating Rehab Costs' is a great resource for new rehabbers to learn how to Estimate Repair Costs on 25 common rehab repairs.https://www.biggerpockets.com/store/the-complete-g...#2 Explore Lowes and Home Depot to Learn About Material PricingTake a tour through Lowes and Home Depot (or their websites) and look at finishes materials and fixtures that you will consider using in your rehab projects.

If they don't have a motivating factor, there probably won't be a deal there.Another thing to consider: There are ways to optimize your costs to improve your offers: Use cash or cheaper financing.

Meetup.com is a good resource for those but some of the groups will also post here on Bigger Pockets Marketplace too.

Yes, the tax situation matters, but so does the talent pool for scarce resources. 

He is a great resource for me as an out-of-state investor, recommending on and off market properties.

So my policy is that I only change locks if the departing tenant was bad or left under less-than-optimal circumstances.

Would someone be willing to share one with me or direct me to a resource where I may find one? 

I'm not sure about your location or what people or resources are needed for Ottawa, but I'd inquire on a few coaching or mentor programs and just ask the person who contacts you what their results have been, what timeframe it's taken them to get those results, if they have any guarantees in place, how much work is expected during their program (definitely important if you're not doing this full time), and any other questions you need to get answered.All the programs work...just depends which will work best for what you want to accomplish and which makes you the most comfortable