In addition to PH I believe he also checks chlorine level, salt level and total dissolved solids. 

Our pro forma for the self storage property we built was rock solid until we opened the business and a year later I was facing losing everything because of all sorts of factors beyond my control.

Looking to build a solid team over here if possible. 

(I have tried AirDNA's free version and have gotten a rough estimate on revenue) Or any other ways to get a solid idea of the potential of the property to show to our potential investors?

So you really have to do your homework solidly.

Logically I can't make a solid business case to cancel them, as the cash flow is fine vs losing it all with a tornado.

It sounds like the tenant has solid evidence their check or auto payment was received by the wrong party.  

The numbers can look great on paper, but the success really depends on buying in the right areas, managing renovations well, and having a solid team in place for property management.If you’re thinking about buying, fixing, and renting, I’d recommend starting by learning as much as you can about the different neighborhoods.

I think they contain solid information and will help lay a good foundation as a beginner (Haha, I'm completely new to real estate as well, btw)I'm also going to be reading the following books, and hopefully I can finish all by the end of this month:1) The ABCs of Property Management2) The Advanced Guide to Real Estate Investing3) Long-Distance Real Estate Investing How to Buy, Rehab, and Manage Out-of-State Rental Properties (this might be the most important one to me personally)4) The Book on Investing in Real Estate with No (and Low) Money DownIn addition to reading, I'm consuming crazy amounts of youtube videos, and I'recommend you do this as well.

These platforms are affordable and offer comprehensive reports (credit, background, eviction history) without you having to handle sensitive information directly.Verify Employment and Landlord History: Your plan to request pay stubs and a landlord reference is solid.