Poor communicators, poor housekeeping skills, prescription med abuse, big dogs that they couldn't properly care for, damaging, etc.

They did poor due diligence and a poor business model.  

Ask for references which are hand picked by the GP?

They normally do a very poor job that will have to be corrected later - drips on the floor, doors walls and molding, poor job of cutting in, bleed through on the walls.

As a retired CPA, I saw plenty of tax returns by these firms that clearly were done poorly. 

Here's how I do my due diligence:1) Portfolio matching: (takes 30 seconds per deal)a) Have an educated opinion on where I think we are in the real estate cycles (financial and physical market cycles)b) Then and only then do I pick the strategies, capital stack, and specialized asset subclasses that make sense for that opinion.

Would it be a poor decision? 

The mayor has been hot on out of state investors and poor property managers since his campaign. 

Pick one that is improving, homes being renovated and flipped, vacant storefronts being turned into cool coffee shops etc.Good luck.

Even in HCOL areas, adding an ADU typically does not make sense because developing a single small unit is the most expensive residential development that exists.Adding an ADU is a lot of work (probably more than a brrrr but with worse return), has poor financing options, typically adds less value than the cost of the addition, and detracts something from the primary structure even if it is just yard and privacy.Good luck