It is always better to have the tenant paying for the utilities as they are the ones using them. 

b) Did the seller acquire the property through probate?

#McCormickI have some Youtube videos (link in my profile) that will help with some of your questions and I'd be happy to have a call to help walk you through the market and what you should consider when looking here.

There are not a ton of comps on Zillow or other websites that I have checked and it was last sold a while ago so even these resources are unable to give me a quote.  

Website: https://furnishedflatsfm.com/ What made you interested in investing in this type of deal?

To which I said "yes, Lorrie Morgan, and the answer is  the same."

Ironically, high income earners can make more passive income through tax mitigation than they can through buying high cash flow deals in nearly every situation. 

On the surface, it’s a game-changer.

My goal, over the next five years, is to utilize real estate in lieu of my current hourly consulting income, by building a portfolio of rentals.  

All the best!