Dadi if I bought OOS, I'd still want to go to the area and experience the city & neighborhood, and see the properties for myself...I know a lot of OOS investors don't do that, which, to me, is a failure of due diligence in most circumstances...it's one thing if you have a team of boots on the ground who are highly competent, and who have proven themselves across dozens of prior deals in that city--in that case, I might take their word for certain things... 

You can also lookup online or ask planning department for prior cases and the final decision on whether the zoning change was approved.

Do you notify tenants prior to closing to hold payments?

You cannot use a HELOC as liquid reserves since it's a open end liability.You would be better off taking cash out of a property and securing it into an account checking/savings and allowing it to be "seasoned" for 3-4 months prior to putting in the application. 

Something I have noticed is we tend to occasionally have a tenant who seems to think that rent is due on the first for the prior month.Despite late fees, constant reminders, etc. they will without fail pay their rent one month late.Aside from threats to evict, is there a better way to screen tenants like this out ahead of time?

Always call to verify the wire instructions you have prior to making the wire. 

Owner has listed this property 3 times prior and lives out of state.

So far I wasn't given any check in/inspection list from the previous owner and wandering what everyone has done in these situations where it looks like the current tenants seem to  have done some damage more than just your wear and tear but you don't have a list to see what status it was in prior.

In Austin, its better than what it was a few months prior but its a little high.

My last bill was $100 less than my prior years bill.