It is high for that zip code but my units have unusually nice ammenities (especially for the money) I was thinking about trying it in light of all the recent eviction moratoriums but then we didn't have any move outs for a long time until end of Feb. 

Is it unusual to ask to speak with a current tenant living there?

That's unusual for someone your age.

Living there for a year to comply with the lender's requirement to occupy the property as an owner-occupant (typically for a full year with some rare, unusual exceptions) then...3.

So a jump of 8-9% is not unusual.

Everyone I've talked to thought it was extremely unusual for a broker to do. 

It's not at all unusual to find garbage places built the 1970s that have much worse and chronic problems than a place built with care in 1920.In buy-and-hold, your job is always to pick places that have investment longevity, that can be renovated, in areas that will most likely appreciate.

It is certainly appropriate for you to require verification and if the person is pushing back, move on.The one with the woman contacting you in behalf of her son, that's not unusual for an initial inquiry but at this point, tell her you don't rent through third parties and he needs to contact you directly.

@Tim Bee usually I am trying to find buy and hold deals that are returning 10%+My expenses are usually minimal - public electric, RE taxes (PHILA taxes aren’t super high), insurance.Tenants are responsible for the rest: water, landscaping, snow removal, utilities, etc.I invest in small multi family usually duplexes, so having the tenant responsible for those items is not unusual.

When it was all said and done, we figured it was easier if we deposited one check in the beginning.There are other cases where I got such requests, though unusual, but not a red flag in all cases.I thought post dated check were illegal or is that just my lovely state of MA again ?