Since we do low income and self manage, we need to be nearby to keep things under control.

In no particular order, off the top of my head: landlord-friendly laws, no rent control, population trends, total population in the metro (I won't invest in super small metro areas/towns), unemployment rate trends, vacancy rate trends, income trends, rent trends, economic trends for the metro, weather (as it pertains to potential expenses - i.e., I don't have to worry about clearing snow from a parking lot in Scottsdale AZ), purchase price, expected ROI, how fast you can evict, insurance rates, and property taxes. 

Remember you don't have to own a property to control it.

I Want control on who is living there and the metrics I use to screen them but the best return on my investment and reduce overturn and damage to property. 

Now, forgive my ignorance when I ask: are there any strategies to your knowledge where a wholesaler CAN close / control the property without his own money?

This can be an attorney's dream, the operating agreement will be more involved, a trust can be a member of an LLC or an LLC may be in trust, any corporate ego can be an affiliate, subsidiary or controlling entity of another.

Remember you don't have to own a property to control it.

With multi's, you can control NOI, and control your property value. 

Remember you don't have to own a property to control it.

Do you just buy all cash, say 2-4 houses, or do you leverage with mortgage debt and try to expand the assets you will control?