Assuming the contract is written with an inspection contingency, you conduct your due diligence and present an inspection objection on the items you are requesting.

Cara and Marcus Painter with MC properties have a great organization...  

If it's a larger organization, feel free to inquire about their different staff qualifications.2.

How do I objectively evaluate this investment if I'm living in the front and not paying "rent" per se, rather just covering the rest of the mortgage. 

I have recently found dropbox to be my go to for keeping everything organized.

NARPM is an organization for property managers that specialize in single family and small multi family residential properties.

@Luis PaulinoThat the objective is to find motivation and schedule a showing.

The way my wife and I see things right now, our main objective is purchasing cash flow properties to reach financial freedom.

There's an organization called Near East Area Renewal; I think it's the driving force of the neighborhood. 

Also most tenants are not sophisticated enough to know about the rent control laws so you can normally raise the rent a reasonable amount, like you are doing, without registering with the city and without objections from the tenant.