This eliminates most unqualified tenants.

The city has a new incentive to eliminate units - a vacancy tax:Oakland's Vacant Property TaxWith TOPA practically knocking at the front door, the city is establishing another incentive to eliminate rental units of small rental property landlords:Stop TOPAYou might be able to obtain records of those who secured permits to downsize. 

If this exemption has not been deceptively eliminated, then acquiring a golden lot may allow you to rent in Berkeley at substantially less risk.

Internet research might eliminate properties based on what you see online, google street view and the like, but you should not depend on them to determine what to buy.WAY too many times I see nice houses on the tax roll, or if we're lucky in the pictures from the law firm, and google street view looks good, and then I drive to the property only to find the house gone and fresh dirt replacing it....or the front is like a façade in a movie set and there is no back of the house, like it was destroyed in a tornado.   

Focus on what you want and eliminate the noise.

I've heard from a few people that I could get an FHA/5% conventional loan on the property now, and since I'm getting married in 8 months, that could be a way to eliminate/get out early of the 1-year occupancy required for 5% loan.

By putting a well qualified tenant into your property in the first place, you will be eliminating the majority of possible headaches going into the lease term. 

Benefits: low % down, high leverage so better returns, reduce/eliminate your housing cost, and experience being a landlord. 

That eliminates about 3/4s of them.

Every rental unit should have a bathtub combination tub and shower, or a bathtub and a separate shower, or you automatically eliminate the number of potential renters who want or need a bathtub for personal preference or for health reasons.