The media has an axe to grind:  Bad, bad, evil landlord.  

I went on homedisclosuredotcom to check for hazards, noise level, criminal offenders nearby, etc.

Prefer someone with violent criminal history & as many noise complaints as possible. 

Now that I'm older (I'm 27), I believe in my entrepreneurial spirit and my own grind.

There seems to be a lot of people against them, mostly because of parking and noise issues.

Do any of you have ideas as to how I can buffer the noise in those vents?

So I quit...that was my last job.I then started that "mobile detailing business thing" I thought of when I was welding and grinding on stuff in my parents garage 6 years prior. 

As the manager you can shut it down were as using property management company you would have to keep silent or call the police for noise violation.I think if you represent yourself as property manager onsite you will have more control, tenants will better behave and you can enjoy being a landlord.Read Brandon's book as he if I am not mistaken self manages his properties using his mother in law to answer phones. lolAlso if you use property management you can loose anywhere from 8-15% of your rents to them.

Also I think your expectation that Antoine tell you there is freeway noise is a bit unrealistic.

.- Keep noise at dinner conversation levels and do not play loud music at any time.