Once the bank has taken over and they couldn't resolve the short sale, many owners have given up and aren't paying at all so their hole is bigger and their control less.

They broke the appliances cabinets many holes in walls.

I keep going down rabbit holes and honestly need some advice on figuring out the best market to start in.

Also, that there were several larger holes in the wall (and were 3m strips had torn areas in the drywall), broken blinds, broken threshold.

I’m installing a range hood and need to exhaust out the side of the house, through two layers of brick (built in 1890’s) I’ve tuckpointed everything but don’t know how big to make the hole for the vent to the outside.

You say you've dug yourself a hole but it doesn't sound like you have a lot of debt. $4k in credit card debt but your assets exceed that and you have a good income.

If you don't get LLC they can go after your personal properties especially if your house paid off or holing lots of equity or heavy in cash.  

This means for each tenant I'm immediately $2600 in the hole. 

One thing I see for a builder already is a $700k loan would be a massive monthly payment on a massive liability (a hole in the ground, that is generating nothing more than NOISE and EXPENSES).

Consider gaining some experience as a landlord in a saner location before deciding to go down the rabbit hole in Berkeley.