I am a newbie investor in Palm Coast FL trying to build my RE portfolio and continuing to educate myself in the industry. 

In this role Derrick learned the ins/outs of the property management industry interacting with many different property managers small and large.

@Leron Horn - The purpose of portfolio loans is that they don't have to meet current FNMA guidelines for conforming loans - so each bank sets their own guidelines when keeping loans on the books.FNMA guidelines stipulate that you don't have to be employed at your current job for 2 years, but you have to be employed in the same type of position / industry for 2 years.  

My business is in the home remodel industry and I have dealt with a bunch of contractors / subs...

Debt to income ratios are not that telling, look at the cash flow and use of funds and you're looking at a debt coverage ratio of at least 125% net income over rents, some industries may go higher like 200% Is this a triple net lease?

Are there any recommendations for trusted providers, or is this a problem through the industry?

Not sure the permits, but I live in BG, I'd be interested in helping out in the project for free in exchange for knowledge about the industry. 

Another issue I ran into on a property was when I wanted to change the use (industrial to residential) I had to bring the current structure up to the new energy code.

Career fields I’ve looked into include Mechanical Engineering, PA, Financial Advisor, Industrial Engineer.

The amount of med tech in the area is booming and only increasing over time (other industries as well)Again, no first hand experience, but I think Durham is in desperate need of more Airbnb listings and the timing would be right to get some credibility on the platform before things take off even more.