Lvt is the way to go, it's durable and if you buy a good commercial grade it has a warranty 

What grade is the neighborhood. 

Louis has perhaps the worst race relations in the country, the Ferguson riots were not that long ago.On the other hand, the homes do all look good on street view, and I know there are investors out there who have learned to successfully play the Section 8 game and get better returns than buying higher grade properties at the low cap rates available these days.What is your specific and general advice to do my DD on this, especially if you know the area?

Here in Cleveland / Akron just like the rest of the country we have many neighborhoods with homes priced well about $300,000.I created The Ultimate Guide to Grading Cleveland Neighborhoods to give out of state investors like yourself an idea of what's what in our market.

Give The Ultimate Guide to Grading Birmingham Alabama Neighborhoods a look.

Thinking of possibly trying section 8.Did you check out @James Wise Ultimate Guide to Grading Cleveland Neighborhoods?

Underground utilities, grading, gravel etc.

Lots of investment grade tenants have been around for 40 to 100 years so have made it through economic cycles.

But when you're talking about a large family on Sec 8, the odds are very high that this is what you will get in there, no matter how good they looked on screening.But hey, don't listen to the vast majority of landlords of grade A/B and even C housing who would never, ever rent to Sec 8. 

For more info on these and other neighborhoods in the Cleveland area check out The Ultimate Guide to Grading Cleveland Neighborhoods.