Anyone who works for a financial institution can be a certified mortgage professional, which means they never got training in mortgages, and don't even know when they are breaking laws. 

In the beginning you want to build your ratings so you want to charge market but eventually you want to be at the price point in which the business professional price points.

Also, if I do invest in these areas, I'd like recommendations for property managers, handyman services, and other professional references.Thanks.

Once you have a property under contract have it professionally inspected.  

Definitely professionals!  

They are not professionals, so they really shouldn't be giving advice anyways.

If you think it's expensive to hire a professional, try hiring an amateur.There's nothing wrong with wanting to help a guy out but this was a bad decision to try and save a buck.

It has to be a catch-22 for the professional realtor crowd. 

Personable, but more importantly professional and a tireless worker. 

This person, as evidence by her prior eviction and her not paying you, either doesn't have any money to pay rent or is a professional tenant that moves from house to house doing this to landlords.