However, she later claimed it was a safety hazard after bringing her own A/C repair guy to evaluate the unit (which it wasn't).

You have certainly made some progress on the path that you are on and continuing to grow that portfolio is a good move. 

Many of the deals we evaluate are showing 7-8% cap rates, which works well for us, but once we stick a management company fee on there it is wiped away.

I haven't confirmed but I'm fairly certain that the basement isn't considered "habitable space" per city guildlines since it only has windows with proper egress in the kitchen area.My question is, how should I go about having an evaluation done to determine what I would need to complete to have the space permitted for renting without drawing unwanted attention that could have city inspectors knocking out at my door doling out violations?

Most are frozen during the winter.I can't say much about the opportunities in northern Maine, except to say it's not exactly a hotbed of progress. 

Look into options to rollover into amortized payback or growth.Offer long term retirement funds that look similar to mortgage amortization schedules.Explore options to donate portions of the interest gained to provide community support to help rehab homes with people who need help, but can’t afford it.Create regularly updated, highly visual progress reports for the various remodel/ renovation projects.

I would love to find a good MFR or SFH that will provide me with cash flow, but I haven't gotten the best pipeline built for deals yet so that's a work in progress!

And evaluate what parts you like and don't like.

Just keep on networking and broadcasting your progress on BP.

I think the first assumption we need to evaluate is: where in the world are you going to find a 4/3 for $280k (even in your preferred area) that doesn’t need a *significant* amount of work?