@Michael Plante i currently own two!

On the days I have to go into the plant I feel this wave of anxiety that makes me miserable from the time I wake up, to the time I go to bed.

There are no signs of a market slow down anytime soon so I would just plant your flag and be happy to get whatever you can regardless if it's not pretty or looks exactly how you want it. 

Everyone else's recommendations of sloping the earth next to your walls away from the house (can be accomplished with flower beds near the walls - avoid plants w/ long roots like trees), adding/fixing gutters, extending roof overhangs, and subterranean drainage are all steps to take to decrease water infiltration.Nowadays we ideally insulate and waterproof our basements from the outside - but that's more work than it's worth for a flip.

Quite often, with the first contact, you are simply planting a seed.  

Current property management company has no response to my alarm upon seeing that new tenants have chopped down a (small) tree, removed established bushes in front of the porch, and removed landscaping plants in one area of the yard.

I am currently working third shift in a production plant and looking for my first investment.

May I suggest the using a vinyl plant hard wood floor.  

My current job pays well as I️ work in a plant and do electrical/programming work.

Instead of removing the dirt, they planted it around the backyard.