I would 100% go with hardwood cabinets over particle board.

I personally like Zillow for screening and listing my units then once I have a signed lease, I move them over to Avail which is much more robust for managing tenants (if you're self-managing which I recommend starting out).

We want our remote accountant to take over the check deposit.

Yikes game over

Over the years the side toward the house has slumped toward the house and during very heavy rains can cause seepage into the basement. 

Down payments ranged from 10-20-35% One appraisal was waived and one came in nearly 8% over agreed upon sales price! 

Overall, I had a decent experience throughout the process as it generated good passive income and my involvement was minimal.However, now that I have more time at my hand, I am interested in making the process and my investments more optimal in terms of cash flow.

With 3 bed renting for 1800-2000/month and 2 beds renting for 1400-1600/month this is going to be a cashflow monster bringing in over 5000/month!

It depends on your goals and where you want to spend time. 

There is a large population of young adults here who are not ready to buy yet or prefer to rent over buying a home.