Apparently, you are tied-down to one location (you don’t say where).

I've located several but I want an agent with experience with rental comps. 

NO Lender is going ot make a loan on a home that is not complete  IE C of O5. if the builder thinks you should close prior to C of O then the builder is an idiot.

It gave me the idea to pinpoint a stressed neighborhood, do some driving for dollars and take the time and effort to do a personalized mailing while just putting up the bandit signs at strategic locations after the mailing.

Where are the properties located?

The county where the land is located uses the Geographic Information System GoMaps 4.0 and allows public access to parcel data in ESRI shapefile format.  

We tell them up front that if this happens they need to keep the place clean so we can show it and get it rented prior to their move. 

In Seattle, I rent because I can find cheaper rentals in the urban location I desire, and it's so dang expensive to buy a home right where I want to live in Seattle.

My 6-plex had a fire and lost two units and it's a remote location for me (2hrs one way).I've always managed it and performed all executive decisions, so I became the general contractor and hired subs for the specific skills for the restoration.Even if I were using a PM, this level of decisions I would never delegate.  

Cyrpress Park and North East LA are really growing as communities, you factor in location with cheaper prices you can see a new influx of a younger hipper crowd.