@Bruce Woodruff I’ve used a similar trick for hollow/solid core doors where they get out of wack.

The type of work done would not usually require a permit like replacing missing doors, painting, replacing faucets, replacing plumbing shutoffs and associate external hoses, adding plumbing stops to every sink and tub, repairing a steel fence (this took a lot of time, required core drilling and replacing retaining wall stones), glue top stones on existing huge retaining wall (should have already been glued as the wall has a permit as it is maybe 15' tall), fixing a garage door, adding insulation, adding drywall to existing framing, adding a closet, yard cleanup, repair the built in BBQ, change of many door knobs, etc. 

Always going to be some bumps, but the list below will keep them to a reasonable minimum.Don't buy in the roughest neighborhood in the urban core.

To level set:At its core, buy and hold real estate investing is a get rich slow game.

Your aunt is more likely a Realtor that posted the Craigslist ad you mentioned spouting higher than realistic returns (and likely believing them to their core).If you are going to leverage the purchase AND receive good CoC returns, you'll need to find motivated sellers.

Rarely do I ever feel compelled to reach out and share my experiences, but this is definitely one of them. 

As for the metrics collected, perhaps a 1 - 5 ranking system could be employed based on a core set of tenant qualities where a registered landlord could enter a tenant listing (if not currently exists), and then fill in a ranking dialog for that tenant based on the fixed qualities matrix. 

My experience is they are not durable and any spills that get on it get absorbed into the MDF core.

Prices are expensive here but I found a place that is zone as a live/work just outside the downtown core for $288,000.

I am a very analytical person and I am compelled to research all the information that I can get my hands on when I don't understand something.