Regarding the one month of rent Placement Fee, this is fairly normal.

I am thinking it is better to leave all communication of this problematic tenant to the PM rather than me directly communicating and sending my own contractors to save some money.

If you don't feel up to a fairly significant repair, I'd walk.

Would artificial grass be considered a negative by renters - i.e. too tacky or 'low-rent' in a fairly high rent rental?

Well, you can be fairly confident in your cash flow, at least for a few years.  

Common complaints I hear is timeliness of communication, but it doesn't seem to be from everyone.

I believe that’s a Fair Housing violation too so it stands for all states.  

We are at $21 SF, internally we see that as fair market value.

If your goal is to move from management-intensive real estate to laissez-faire real estate, there are plenty of ways to invest in real estate passively and avoid the large capital gains.Your CPA should also have reminded you that if you die owning real estate, your heirs inherit the property at a stepped-up basis.

Fair pricing, with timely & quality work!