If you ask the manager to justify a fee and he starts hemming and hawing, move on or require them to remove the fee.

Would definitely recommend finding a partner who can help walk you through this if you decide to move ahead. 

One of my buy box requirements is the house needs to cashflow at least $500 per month or I am not buying it. 

FHA loans require living in the home as your primary residence for 1 year after purchase.

Canton is not quite as bad, although they have increased annual fees and initial inspection requirements in the past few years that Akron never put in place. 

We only require a soft credit check as well. 

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

My recommendation would be to engage an investment property focused realtor (not a general residential realtor) and let that person guide you through the process from pre-qualification to market/property valuation and selection. 

Again, definitely consult with a CPA - our team has a few recommendations if you are interested and I can DM you as well. 

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?