Other people know the good ones and the bad apples, and will frequently tell you who is who. 

That is part of the business in this class of rental and is a big part of why the returns are frequently triple what you see on higher rent properties.

In smaller communities, this is particularly troublesome because more often than not, the same buyers and sellers agents are interacting quite frequently.  

I was aware of and frequently use CMHC but have not heard of or used PadMapper.

You will read about this strategy frequently on BP.   

One of the obvious issues was the gutters became clogged frequently. 

I wanted to ask seasoned investors on their thoughts on which would be the best option for the criteria I am looking for:- Minimal down payment (<$20K if possible, 20-25% down payment options)- Minimal involvement in property management, and frequent updates on financials- Areas with good appreciation potential- Minimal tenant turnover / vacancy- Good Cashflow (>$300/month) and ROI (12-15%+)Let me know what your thoughts are, and perhaps some additional criteria that I should consider.

Does grass grow easily, or do you have to water frequently?

Nothing could be further from the truth.The issues are just as challenging and as every bit as frequent as other RE investments:1.

You won't have to make frequent trips back and forth if you don't want to.