However, if one walks 15 minutes the other way (about 0.5 miles), they would arrive in a war-zone, a public housing project where there are murders reported almost every year.

No new arrivals.

returning a low yield (~4%) which would be unwise to sell given political uncertainty currently limiting the home value increase.I have set a deadline by when I must arrive at a decision and would welcome any thoughts that can assist in doing so :) I have a lot of question marks but based on what you have told me...

As the south is getting hotter and dryer and the Midwest will become increasingly interesting. 

We arrive and enter and it was a porn shoot!

I'm thankful to understand how the seller is arriving at their numbers.

Now, different properties meet different peoples needs best; some want lowest price, some want closest proximately to work, some want largest accommodations, everyone has different evaluation to arrive at what will work and what rental they’re willing to pay.

We also provide a welcome basket that gives them items to get through a few days so they don't have to go shopping right when they arrive (2 toilet paper rolls, 1 paper towel roll, small dish soap, small hand soap, 2 dishwasher pods, 2 laundry pods, 3 garbage bags, scrub brush for dishes, a few coffee pods, some sugar packets, etc).

Or will hiring a PM and reno team be a more realistic avenue for you (especially if you are looking for an area outside of where you are where the RE market may be hotter)After you find the answers to theses questions, I'd hunt down a great agent in your desired area and start searching! 

I was looking at placing some money into a passive investment of sorts and was considering Fundrise or Arrived.