A while back I read The Empowered Manager and it goes into depth on incentive based performance.

Even a corner lot would require over 40 feet of lot depth for the cars.Lets assume that you keep a 3ft side lot setback on each side, that will limit your building to 24ft wide. 

I am skeptical of most metrics they can be manipulated. 

This makes you susceptible for manipulation.

There are ways I can manipulate the input to achieve a more desired output with real estate - I can fix up a house, add to it, rent it out, lease to own, sell it outright, borrow against it, etc.

Not to mar its beauty, heaven expelled them,Nor will the depths of hell take them in there,Lest the damned have any glory over them."

You just have to be cognizant of the rules.In order to play the game you need to know the rules and how others manipulate them.

The value in having someone book directly through you is that you can actually manipulate the price in your favor and the guests favor.

I've watched videos but no one really goes into depth.

Interesting to hear that State Farm is asking these in-depth questions, but it doesn't seem odd to me given that you are out-of-state.