If you want to ensure that your payment does not go up in month 61, then figure out now what you think the worst case scenario is for interest rates 5 years from now. 

My day to day job is as a critical facility engineer for a data center, with my specialty being HVAC and commercial electrical. 

Overall, the idea is that you might be buying a building at a 6% cap rate (or less) but when you underwrite conservatively using market data that you know and are comfortable with, you can run the building better than the current owner, make the building cash flow and effectively making it maybe a 9 or 10 cap building.A good example.

Associating with those of low reputation may not only lower your own but also lead you astray by the faulty assumptions, premises and data of the unscrupulous."

So having MLS market data and analytics back then was super valuable.

We have already done a lot of research on pop increase , wage growth , job growth , % of renters , crime rate , etc. ( all from city-data, census , best-places , IRR).

But there may be exceptions and some states have varying rules, although RESPA is a federal rule.See here:  https://www.cresinsurance.com/what-to-know-to-avoi...https://www.nar.realtor/ae/manage-your-association...I would suggest speaking with an attorney in your area to ensure you are in compliance with RESPA.

I intend to have a structural engineer out to inspect the place as well as other various professionals to ensure the building is in decent shape.

It could be that they have been fighting for these things to be fixed, and the previous landlord promised you would be the shmuck to ensure it happened.

I have looked at some rankings on websites and some data like that but I'm curious what actual investors are thinking and why they focus where they do.