But it hasn't really touched the barely functioning mechanical systems that have been band-aided together for decades. 

IMO your options are: (1) look in less expensive markets where your dollar goes further, (2) invest in a different asset type, (3) invest with someone else / partner on a deal, (4) wait for prices to adjust, if it happens... personally, I would expect to see some distressed sellers who are going to be taken out by the eviction moratoriums due to abusive tenants - MA is brutal when it comes to the super-progressive lawmakers who think free rent w/o aid to landlords is perfectly acceptable... but I digress.

I want to know how to get the arv as an appraiser or at least, I want to get the closest to that.

There are a few agents who kind of do this, as licensed agents it's a bit different but end of day comes out very similar.At this point I am probably the closest thing to a "wholesaler" in the St Cloud market as I am market specialized, over a decade professionally, and I develop off market deals for my clients.

You can find statics on crime and compare that to the surrounding area, or the closest “best” area.

And yes, we're a little regretful about the LLC, it was mostly done trying to protect assets on college aid forms.

Go to the local pony track or closest casino to his house and you will see him there with defeated eyes.I fell for the bs pitch on giving more money to get my original money back once as well, won't ever happen again!

Slumlords usually band aid everything and you want to fully understand what you're getting into.The only way I wouldn't purchase a property like that is if I did not have the ability or resources to turn it into a better, more livable property. 

With rates as low as they are, refinancing is the closest thing you can get to "free money" to use for future investments. 

The closest buyer I was able to locate would have used a conventional loan and possibly made things easier, but I don't know.