Is it recommended to get business cards to give people at the doors?

If you choose to raise his rent slowly he will eventually leave anyway so all you are doing is losing money till that happens.

I would be ready for socialization--and bring business cards or be prepared to airdrop some equivalent.

Interest rate will be higher but at that low of an amount, $28,000, it shouldn't raise your costs too much, just make sure you know what the seasoning length of the loan is (if there is a seasoning period at all).

I'm still new enough that I'm not able to buy with cash, and use credit cards to fund rehabs (more for the perks than the lack of cash) so my credit can move by 100 points or more throughout the process.

Either way you want the ability to raise it again in the spring.Check your state codes first to insure you can offer a short term incentive.

Investment to bring property back to rent-ready condition has been a drawback for raising rents.

Instead, I built up my credit lines (credit card limits).

That has left a lot of houses and entire neighborhoods rotten plugged with decaying homes but damn banks keeping raising prices so my mortgage is high And the price of rent is what I have to charge to afford mortgage and repairs. 

Due to the upgrades, I was able to raise the rent and more peace of mind to my tenants security wise.