I never buy condos for this exact reason, having someone else control my investment.

Most investors will also take into consideration risk, time invested, control over the asset, the ability to do a cash-out refinance, and other factors.

You have to understand your rights and maintain control of the situation. 

Back stairs.If you are talking about making a 2+1 into a legal 3, the towns are going to tell you only the above two will qualify.

Right now, if I see a house I like, I'll take down the address and search it on my town's portal to obtain the owner name and address.

This is bogus if buyer and seller are independent parties (if the parties are associated then I understand setting true value) as there is usually a reason for the discount purchase (risk items like unpermitted work, crazy low rents in rent controlled area, hoarder, heavy need of rehab, etc).  

I did the same thing about five years ago: I drove around town looking for a house hack.

Would you focus on booming urban areas, or do you think the suburbs and smaller towns have more potential?

I used to have a Minute sensor (for noise monitoring) in a unit located in a rough part of town, and guests would simply take it down.

Ocean City is the most popular beach town and is a 3hr drive from Washington D.C.