I am looking to convert the garage into a habitable unit. 

It’s vital.

Easy Win.As to overall screening processes, I look at all available supporting documentation looking for Bad Habits, vs. any single element for a go/no go decision. 

However, I am trying to exhaust my options of obtaining funding to bring the homes up to code and ready for habitation.

-Where I think the market is headed is foundational to my strategies and is a vital part of interpreting any property.

A lot of times people try multiple strategies but then only make a little progress in each area - I think it's better to make massive progress with one strategy.One more thing I will add is to make telling people what you do / what you buy a habit.

The home is in NY state and is habitable in its current state, just outdated. 

If you'd like an overview on real estate investing:The Book on Rental Property Investing by Brandon TurnerIf you'd like to get into strategies and processes of REI: BRRRR & Long Distance Real Estate Investing by David GreeneIf you'd like to understand the plausibility of early retirement through real estate: Set for Life by Scott TrenchIn my opinion, reading books to help change your mindset are the most helpful because that acts as a foundation to obtain more knowledge like Atomic Habits, No Excuses, or Extreme Ownership. 

The concepts or ideas we have about money is vital and learning about how money work and how to manage it will be an important part of your Real Estate journey.

One phone call from them explaining how the apartment will not be habitable without those repairs will get her begging you to complete them.While you should always budget for a PM when underwriting a deal, I think it's good to self-manage at the start to learn the ropes.