If you've got any leads or insider tips, I'm all ears!

One of the inherent risks of new builds is locking in an interest rate.

It's different in the US where you can lock into to a 30 year term (ie. the rate doesn't changed over the entire life of the mortgage). 

Banker told me to lock 2 years CD and give me 5% but I loan from them is > 7%....

Change to a non key entrance system, maybe like a motel, this saves changing locks, and tenants making keys for all their buddies.6.

Airbnb picked one door lock to offer direct integration to their platform for door codes.The Schlage Encode.This seemed to be the most popular and widely recommended lock on BP.

Door lock was finicky, nowhere to plug tv in hired an electrician to install a new outlet.

Nope says the driver with a lock and chain in is hand.

I would recommend looking into a property management company if you are going to invest out of state, simply due to the fact that property management can be your eyes and ears on the property and would have local experience that you could benefit from.

To add a 4th point if you will, more like point "3a" (it's kinda closely tied to your 3rd point), if the Buyer ever wanted to sell, the Buyer would be "locked in" to that deal for at least a decade or until the house was "above water".