If it's buy and hold make the landscaping low to zero maintenance to save on costs or having your tenants be responsible. 

Its your money but I would drive the areas to get a feel for whats around what you are buying . 

In most cases your better off buying with "All Cash" and then you can use a "Delayed financing" program to get up to 80% cash back LTC loan to cost.

I’m now buying a fourth property under a newly formed LLC.Should I place the first three properties that I bought in this new LLC?

In a fast moving market, where multiple offers are presented there is no time for getting verbal buy in. but if a property has been sitting, to me, there’s no reason not to make sure that you are in the same universe before submitting a formal offer. 

I recommend Sullivan County New York . for that price , you can buy an apartment building with a dozen doors or seven single-family homes

Aside from offering this as a benefit to outstanding tenant prospects.So, you think a GOOD tenant will break a lease and accept a judgement against them that may follow them as a lien, gaining interest all along, and nixing their hopes of buying a home for years unless eventually paid off?

Only buy stuff, even for your room, that you plan on leaving behind when you buy your next home.

I started looking into real estate as a way to financial independence around that time and was offered to buy my first property by a family member who was looking to leave the investment world.

I am doing this because this is not the only property I intend to buy so I thought I should start off with an LLC now.