If the seller balks at the thought of any agent, you'll have to work out compensation outside of closing.   

We see potential in both areas, but are looking for some outside opinions on the markets and starting out in real estate in these two places! 

I do this, and recommend you do going forward, is take a video walkthrough of the house between tenants including inside and outside of dishwashers, all appliances, floors rooms walls everything etc.

The process is fairly simple (outside of a pandemic of course).

@Kincaid Ryken18 and starting to look into rei.. man had I been that smart haha well done for thinking outside of the box at such a young age.

Preferably 4plex and house hack again but 1031 into outside NJ, maybe PA.

Outside of having the tenant sign the lease contract what else should I be working on or providing?

Since you are investing outside of the area, I assume you have a property manager.  

If the equipment is older than 10 years, I would say stop wasting money on repairs and get it replaced (you may be able to reuse the existing outside compressor it uses R410a refrigerant, but if its R22, it junk).The way they left it, it is not operational for either heat or cooling.Personally, I would review what you paid to the original HVAC company and see how they took advantage of you.

If you take a step outside of the city and into rural California, you would discover the sentiment is very different.