Several times a year I am am sending out a text message to all tenants (freeze warnings, inspection reminder, etc) I am looking for an online platform that has a good app as well as a website that I can use to do those tasks.

I have looked around online and found NREIG (National Real Estate Insurance Group).

@Kody Smith plenty of good PM software out there but for bookkeeping we recommend QuickBooks Online (QBO).

I still shop in person or online to get the right pieces.

Search the county probate court recordsMost probate filings are public.In many counties (including Alabama), you can search online for:the deceased owner’s nameestate filingsopen probate casesIf it’s in probate, you’ll usually see an estate case with a personal representative listed.2.

You can also check their reviews online at Google, Facebook, or Yelp.

Looked online.  

While we have ~$25k set aside for this purpose to use in some capacity, we aren't sure whether we should try to make a play for something local in Greater Austin (given the challenges cash-flowing something and the depreciation we're seeing) or to look somewhere like Shreveport, LA where the rest of my family live (and could potentially help with property management).Unfortunately, something like a HELOC isn't on the table, as we bought our house in July 2021 and have seen significant depreciation since (although we have a 2.75% interest rate, which is nice!). 

Quote from @Allan Smith: This seems to be a nebulous topic online, not a lot of info about it other that "you should do it, it's great!"

I research the company they work for, check reviews to ensure their name has a legitimate online presence, and—in the best-case scenario—I rely on strong referrals.However, finding a lender isn't the first step in starting your fix-and-flip journey.