I do work and Cleveland and have contacts.

@Nate LaBlance while @Stuart Udis has some great advice, we do NOT recommend letting an agent do your tenant screening.First off, they have a CONFLICT OF INTEREST - they don't get paid until they place a tenant.

What do you think of my essentially 7-word answer? 

Try to see the property yourself if you can (was out of state initially).

If investing locally, then managing it yourself is the best way to learn and see if owning property is right for you.

Should i invest in remodel/upgrades while it is still in my personal name, or is it better to do it under an LLC?

If they do, your best bet is a local community bank that funds these types of properties.Another option is a private lender but that money will be pretty expensive, as mentioned 10%  + 

These are fees separate from rent.. imagine them doing that across 100-200 properties it's wild. 

If he qualifies, create a new lease with all adult occupants (and a sublet provision) and get it signed and place it in a known location.good luck 

It's fine if you don't ever need to cancel, or have any damaged items to return but as soon as you do, their customer service feels nonexistent.