.#2, Is the fact that people who are not landlords have a hard time visualizing what the place will look like once it has been repainted, new carpeting, and ready for show.  

I just went to Barnes and Noble and picked up the book "architectural's in visuals" and it seems to answer my request but if you have any other books that you would recommend, I will look into those as well.Lastly, I forgot to mention this as well.

If you're investing remotely I think the right property management company is just as important as the market dynamics.

I call them Safety and Water Inspections, check all the smoke alarms and under every sink, this gets me a visual of pretty much the entire property.

New CabinetsAnything else should cost less than $2000, and even items 3-6 above should be less than $3500.So, learn how to visually inspect the roof and learn how to identify structural issues, and any additional surprises really shouldn't hurt you too much, even if you under-estimated the repairs.Of course, if you ever had any major concerns about structural issues, hire a structural engineer for $300, and if you have any questions about the roof, you can generally get a roof inspection from a roofing contractor for free.

When you charge by the week (as opposed to a weekly payment schedule based on a monthly rent) the dynamics are different... beginning to feel like a rooming house. 

Odds are you could have the same dynamic in this property.I think every invest has to make their own decision about cash-flow vs. appreciation potential, if you want to drive to your property or are happy to fly to it, if you’d rather spend $750K on 10 units or one SFR.But for whatever it’s worth, I’d posit 100% of investors look at deals and say: “Oh this looks like a good property if only it were 20% cheaper!”

Both cities you've chosen are great for that but definitely different dynamics like William mentioned. 

I am such a visual learner and have done a lot of reading thus far but would love to actually see the process in action.

I was also able to visually inspect it as well as review all the financials and documentation they offer before purchasing.