I always suggest to live in one unit, rehab the unit for yourself while the others rent out, and when one of the lease ends in another unit move into that one and rehab it again giving your overall property a big boost in appreciation, as long as it follows the market trend.

But I may use it if the AI could create a social media calendar that can come up with different topics and posts based on my specific niche.I'm currently lagging in posting on social media and need an automated "boost."

So, I feel I have a good grasp on neighborhoods in general, but I'm struggling with putting numbers to what I know mentally. 

You can boost your home's curb appeal by planting flowers, trimming shrubs, and removing leaves and debris.

If you go to a meetup with a mentality of wanting to help others people will naturally be drawn to you and want to hep you on your journey.

I was wondering if anyone has been successful "upselling" rental income by offering extras to boost monthly rent.  

You can also sign up for Experian Boost which should more than offset any hard checks you get. 

Yes there are those that for medical reasons, mental primarily, deserve to be on assistance but that number is tiny compared to those that simply view the system as a free ride. 

But "locals" that have this selfish mentality don't care, what they see is they have to stand in line or wait for the restaurant or store, or traffic issues.

The money you save on rent will be a major financial boost and you will start reaping all the rewards of long term property ownership you mentioned such as appreciation, loan paydown through payments, tax deductions etc.