These potentially work best depending on how your rental property is titled. 

from my understanding of contract law, any agreement lasting a year or more would need to be I writing and accepted by both parties. since you have not signed the contract, I do not think they can hold you to it. whether you get a lawyer or not depends on whether you think you can get him to leave without one. if he doesn't leave, you need to evict and then you need a lawyer anyway. personally, I would try without a lawyer first, and if he doesn't budge then get one

I need a reliable/dependable contractor I can trust to get the job done with me being remote. 

it would depend on your understanding of title and recording of Deeds, as well as drafting  the quit claim, I personally buy a lot of my portfolio at sheriff sales, and often will use my personal name until i decide what LLC im going to put it in,  I will then quit claim it to that LLC, in this case though there are no loans involved (buy on LOC then cash out after rehab) Im a broker and will draft my own quitclaim and go to the ROD office and record it. that being said, if you are asking this question on this forum I would recommend asking for guidance from a local title company, maybe pay them to do one for you, but ask them to teach you how its done. good luck  

YOU could find success in either route but it depends on the fire in your belly to succeed and how determined you are to put in the work to make it work. 

Hoping to get one property at some point this year depending on prices and interest rates.

That being said you don't get that much "info" on the companies themselves at NARPM.org, just a listing of them.I can name a dozen or more quality PM's (all NARPM credentialed) that will do you a fantastic job depending on where your property is located.

Hey @Zev Dobuler It really will depend on how you are purchasing your properties.

The basic answer to the HELOC v cash out refinance question is that it depends on when you intend to use the funds.

When you are asking to talk to a CPA then they charge based on retainer or per hour depending on what you want them do to.