I do monitor Fairbanks but haven't done much with it because it's almost 400 miles away.

@Hilary GravesI do this if it suits me at the time.As I monitor the work done in a vacant property, I sometimes get the stragglers just looking.Usually I make the time, as this could be the renter I will be leasing to for the next 3 to 5 years.

Bigger Pockets has some great state forums and usually there are good locals that monitor those.

Its best to start as close to home as possible, that way you can monitor things. 

Developing scorecards to monitor accountability (with Key Performance indicators) is another good idea, plus you can tie each other's pay to their performance that way.I'd suggest reading "Scaling Up" by Verne Harnish and "Traction" by Gino Wickman.

Most of my clients start searching on redfin or Zillow, and then I get them set up on an autosearch through my MLS where I can monitor their activity.I totally agree about the blandness of stock real estate sites (even the custom ones look the same IMHO).

Why not pay your parents to monitor everything and keep everything on track?

-OSHA safety logs-Asbestos training for each worker-Safety Policy Manual-Documented Safety meetings-Tyvek suits-Special procedures for asbestos removal and disposal-Air monitor testingThe list goes on and on but hopefully you get the point.

We had this situation come up, and by doing the aforementioned, we were able to get a $4,000 repair credit from the seller, as both the seller and the listing agent realized that if they walked away from our offer & they relisted it, they would need to disclose it and it would likely reoccur during any future inspections.

Someone monitors what they do, decides what they wear, and what they eat.