This creates buffer zones because people don't want to live next to a manufacturing plant.

You are suffering from analysis paralysis.This is what you do to start.You know how wholesaling works.

For a month the tenant tried to deal with them herself, put her plants outside, wiped down the aparment.

I am seeing property values suffering in places like Lake Tahoe as it became stricter on their STR laws.

Thank u for bringing them up... makes me think ...So u guys think that if crash happens then Midwest landlords  from small towns can suffer more vs landlords from big cities?

Being in and out of houses all day, every day give you insight on market conditions and allows you to take a pretty solid guess at ARV before you even run the numbers.We still suffer some of the regular problems though - like finding contractors who will show up on time and stay on budget.I have contacted about a half dozen paving contractors to look at a job at my home.  4 never returned the calls, two showed up and promised estimates. 

I am a tour foreman at a local plant and moved to Florence after graduating college last year.

the filing to get the two or three permits, like motel permit and short rate stay permits is not the issue, they want us not to take any renters until this is obtained that is the killer here. we have retained an attorney and are hoping they understand that this is a busienss and will suffer hardship if we stop the renting till permits and licenses are issued'

@Michael Plante what i meant by that was i am not so against pets that my first thing to do would be evict. 

However, independent of the painful schooling I've had being a long distance landlord (I refuse to hand it over to a prop man co), I've managed to turn the property around, literally doubled the rent from when i bought it, significantly improved the tenant base and have updated, renovated, and flushed out most of the poor workmanship the property has suffered over the years.