First, you don't mention whether the door is broken in some way, or just never had an automatic opener and can still be opened just fine manually.  

Someone recently posted their LTR got broken into between tenants and lost $6500 in appliances and mechanicals.

They can advise on some of the ways that claimants have broken through the corporate veil (ie. comingled funds, etc.)

Assuming you would find someone who would pay you the rent on the less broken down half of the duplex to cover your carrying cost so you can save your own rent and use it to renovate, everybody in the area would do it.

Others may have plenty of parking but the cars get broken into often.

I do not believe this is an IRS rule (if it is, I've broken it plenty), find a different lender.

Structural engineer, people come to you with the most broken houses that need foundation work etc. might be an option.

I figure in 7 years I merely made 180K from value appreciation on the rental in my example broken down earlier...Sure appreciation is realllllllly nice.

Don't mean to sound like a broken record, but you have to drill down on certain areas, look at comps and determine cash flow.  

If an Tenant break a lease, are they still responsible to pay the rest of the months left in that lease.