Lots of crime over there, I'd say best bet would be 1 occupied and 1 vacant.

With C or below you probably can't avoid some of it so I'd go with a recency bias, ie anyone who has a long period of time between their last eviction and successful rentals other places will be a safer bet than the guy that just got evicted. 

I have talked to a lot of different ones and have found one that I really like because they have been doing it for twenty years and have vertically integrated property management and construction and a construction warehouse for fixes and everyone is on-staff.

There are very few sellers of notes right now, so who are you buying and selling too.You are going to be sadly dissappointed and realize after 3-6 months you probably wasted your money.Your best bet is to join some groups on FB or elsewhere and start to learn that way.Let me ask you this question: Have you spoken to any note investor out there to ask them about the environment today to actually get into notes? 

- Any other best practices that you could share that could help maximizing the rental yield, reducing prop tax and construction cost?

Many of the big announcements haven't been completed yet or still under construction. 

Even still, investors will often want equity in the projects.Giving equity to private investors can hedge your bet.

My bet is both those will be redeemed prior to auction.  

I used a construction loan.4.

@Robert Lum  you bet you can troll around a site like BP read their books listen to the pod cast of those that are successful and talk about their business's.. its inspiring and motivational.but if you really want to learn the nuts and bolts you need to get in the game.the best and least expensive way to do that is to simply take a pre license course in your state.. learn the laws ( the real laws not the BS that is talk about on line).. terminology etc. then go to work with a brokerage in the aspect of Real estate that interest  you.. there you will get REAL training by those that are successful you get on a team.. you get paid as you learn.