Cleveland is the one I am most familiar with and it's also very popular with investors across the USA so I figured you'd get some value out of reading The Ultimate Guide to Grading Cleveland Neighborhoods.

If you see the world through your fears, poverty multiplies all around you."

Here are some recommendations for you:Find and connect with other BP members that are in your area: https://www.biggerpockets.com/search/usersSet up keyword alerts to be notified of the topics that interest you: http://www.biggerpockets.com/alertsRead Beginner’s Guide: http://www.biggerpockets.com/real-estate-investingCheck out BP Podcasts: https://www.biggerpockets.com/podcastIf you wish to tag someone in the conversation on the forum, type @ followed by their name and then select the name of that person which should appear below the comments box.

Here are some recommendations for you:Find and connect with other BP members that are in your area: https://www.biggerpockets.com/search/usersSet up keyword alerts to be notified of the topics that interest you: http://www.biggerpockets.com/alertsRead Beginner’s Guide: http://www.biggerpockets.com/real-estate-investingCheck out BP Podcasts: https://www.biggerpockets.com/podcastWishing you the best!

Things will go VERY wrong if you're not around to help guide your team through challenges and obstacles.

It takes a lot of hard work, and you need to keep at it for a long time.I would recommend a good teacher/mentor, or a good start-to-finish guide. 

Try not to allow emotions to guide your purchase.

They should be able to guide her and any other heirs the best and assure you that you have a clean title upon closing. 

In addition I noticed Cleveland, Ohio was on your list so I figured I'd drop you a link to The Ultimate Guide to Grading Cleveland Neighborhoods. 

There is also a fix and flip guide that has some useful information.