Have you gone to your local RE association and looked for refers of good contractors?

I've never done this before, are there any other costs associated with assigning a contract?

I used to work in Washington DC and it always amazed me the different issues that impacted different association, org, industry, ect.

Check YOURS.Definition:Real estate salesperson- means any individual who, for a compensation or valuable consideration, is employed either directly or indirectly by a real estate broker, or is an independent contractor in association with a real estate broker, to sell or offer to sell, buy or offer to buy, or list, or solicit for prospective purchasers, or who leases or offers to lease, or rents or offers to rent, or manages or offers to manage, any real estate, or the improvements thereon, for others as a whole or partial vocation; or who secures, receives, takes, or accepts, and sells or offers to sell, any option on real estate without the exercise by the individual of the option and for the purpose or as a means of evading the licensing requirements of this chapter.

I've even read the Realtor's association web articles trying to get a sense of how they feel.

Some Realtor associations require that all listings be on the system within X hours.

If you can stomach the fees to hold your credential, pay association dues for MLS and other Realtor "perks" ( I use that term loosely), and do the continuing education requirements, I don't see much of a downside.

Kind of ignorant when it comes to short sales....I know what they are, but are their dangers other than the normal dangers associated with buying a house conventionally?

A good source for landlord forms is the state chapter of the Apartment Owners Association.

If it is a common element, the association generally will be responsible.