I think some of the first things you should know, is that there are lots of online tools and information for you to use to get the best tenants and the most out of your rental properties.

I'd like to explore investing in other towns/cities in my state.Is there a reputable online tool for quickly analyzing the need-to-know data points in unfamiliar rental markets? 

Maybe someone can refer me to a reputable contractor or someone knows whether this is a trap cause it’s not doable but here is my thought process:2 family house with a finished basement, accessible from the outside (don’t know why this isn’t considered a separate apartment) and from the looks of it each apartment is accessible through stairs which is a common area, which leads to the attic.

I have a four year degree and I've completed the 75 hours of online classes through the Appraisal Institute.

Why, I also thought of doing is, partner with real estate agents, say about 3 good ones, who won't drop the ball, remember, you have to have a good reputation and you are still tied to the deal, so make sure to pre-screen the agents your feeding the leads to, and I recommend 2 or 3, because ideally you will be sending loads of deals and sometime you can forget who you send them to etc...And also, I recommend you hit the agents that you are sending leads to and follow up to make sure they are doing what they are supposed to.Hit me up, we can bounce ideas of each other.

I am looking to invest in either LeadPropeller or Investor Carrot to start my online marketing. 

If this agent has a good reputation, good contacts, has done a good job for you in the past, you plan to use them in the future and especially if they work with other investors who are competitors, I would think it would be a good idea to be upfront and honest with them and explain the situation.You could offer to give them the listing on the back end, or when you have the conversation with them you could say "I appreciate your efforts so I wanted to do something for you, it's not much, but hopefully it's enough to let you know I care and value your time, I really hope we can find another deal in the future together soon" and give them $500 in cash or a gift card or something... 

In fact, you might be better off with just a website, instead of allowing poor customer service reps destroy your reputation, and brand.The latest technology has been helping to blur the lines between offline and online.

I bought my second home within 1 hour of it being posted online.

So hopefully our tenant pool will be slightly better than other parts of Longview that get a bad reputation.