About 3 weeks after moving in, Linda emails me stating she would like me to remove her name from the contract.

If you can offer this service in a reasonable, cost effective way , (which I think today's technology allows you to do), I think there's a lot of potential to grow, just by virtue of the fact that landlords know other landlords, and your name will be out there.

Make sure to include monthly expenses for lawn care / snow removal, insurances, any utilities you'll pay, repairs/maintenance, capital expenditures, vacancies, taxes, etc.

I still would not even consider those, here is why:These types of properties will almost certainly require significantly more time to effectively manage, even if you hire a manager, they wont or do not want to manage in these areas (its more work for less money, to due to lower gross rents).

Some of the criteria I use:-Rent is not current-Most items of value have been removed -utilities are off-Neighbors have not seen them or saw them moving outAbsolutely no need to go thru the eviction process if your criteria is met. 

Does anyone here have any experience with removing said tents/encampments from their vicinity? 

Both had an immediate effect on most markets across the board. 

Need to do more research on more cost effective options. 

I think that approach will be more effective than trying to come up with one on your own.The scripts you can find from professionals online are scripts that have been tested and tweaked after hundreds & thousands of calls.Use search engines and reach out to active wholesalers to find the right one for you!

Being an effective landlord means different things, depending on your specific real estate market.